Kelsea Ballerini has had a lot of pinch-me moments in country music. From releasing her freshman The First Time album in 2015, to scoring her first No. 1 hit with her debut single, "Love Me Like You Mean It," and becoming a Grand Ole Opry member in 2019, Ballerini has had a lot of successes in country music.
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But her biggest success so far, at least in her mind, happened last year, when she sold out one of the biggest -- and most iconic -- venues in the United States.
"I think the 'I made it' idea evolves," Ballerini says in a video shared by Spotify. "The latest one was selling out Madison Square Garden. I never thought a girl from Knoxville would be playing MSG, but here the heck we are."
" data-instgrm-version="14" style="background:#FFF;border:0;border-radius:3px;margin: 1px;max-width:540px;min-width:326px;padding:0;width:99.375%;width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px);width:calc(100% - 2px)">Ballerini's Madison Square Garden show was a far cry from her very first concert. It's an experience Ballerini remembers fondly, even if the conditions were less than ideal.
"The first full band show I ever played, it was outside of a college in Houghton, New York," she remembers with a smile. "It was raining, and there were not a lot of people there, but it was the first time that I was playing with a band. Everything was so new, and I didn't mind the rain at all."
Kelsea Ballerini's 2025 Tour
Ballerini is now playing large venues all over the country. She just wrapped up the first half of her Live On Tour, giving herself a bit of a break before launching the second half.
"17 shows, half the tour is done," Ballerini writes. "Thank you for showing up so wholeheartedly, for decking out in glitter and making signs, for keeping it safe and fun for everyone. We feel so lucky to be doing this show for you. I really still can't believe we get to do it 19 more times. My heart is full, my tank is empty. I'm gonna go eat some chicken nuggets and take a nice nap before we get back to it for the West Coast. I adore and appreciate you more than I can say."
Ballerini's second leg of her tour begins on March 13. She isn't getting too much time to rest, even though she isn't touring. The 31-year-old is also currently enjoying her first season as a coach on The Voice.
