Kelsea Ballerini’s newest album self-titled, Ballerini, is the artist’s most raw and honest music yet. Being the acoustic version of her March 2020 album, Kelsea, this one is just what country fans are looking for nowadays; songs that they already know and love, but an entire new sound with each one, showing a different side to each lyrical story. 

The album’s first song, “Overshare,” is a perfect introduction to the album as a whole, since with every song, Ballerini delves into another important, and personal, aspect of her life. She leaves everything out in the open for her listeners to relate to, whether it be homesickness, getting her heart broken, or just letting herself sit back and enjoy her favorite bottle of red wine. 

Piano and acoustic guitar are the stars of this album, complimenting Ballerini’s soft but powerful voice which can reach sounds unlike any other. She has been compared to Taylor Swift by some, in the way that both transitioned from pure country music to a more country pop sound over the years, before Swift moved to pop entirely. Ballerini expresses in her record, “A Country Song,” that writing country music and growing up with it has shaped who she is, and she uses it to cope with the complications of the real world. However, the artist also knows that many individuals prefer pop music, which she uses to her advantage in songs like “LA“ and “Bragger,” both of which are country pop and more upbeat even in the acoustic style. On the night of the album’s release, Ballerini spoke about what the album meant to her.

“This project has been my silver lining these last few months- it’s kept my creativity alive and my heart so happy,” Ballerini said. “I hope you hear it, and I hope you love it like I loved making it.”