The Untold Truth Of Kelsea Ballerini

May 2024 · 2 minute read

Kelesa Ballerini's career as a songwriter had a somewhat inauspicious origin. As she explained in an interview with the Boston Globe, she was just 12 years old when the self-described procrastinator found herself in a conundrum, realizing she'd forgotten to buy a Mother's Day gift for her mom, Carla Ballerini. "I forgot it was Mother's Day the next day, and I knew that my mom loved what she calls 'gifts of the heart' — you know, things that are just really sweet," she explained. "I was like, 'Oh, I'll just write her a song.' That was the beginning of the end for me."

As Ballerini recalled for USA Today, she titled the song "Oh Mama," revealing that her mother "loved it — she cried." In fact, the youngster's song went over so well that she went back to that same well for future Mother's Day gifts. "For a while, I would write her another verse every Mother's Day," Ballerini recalled.

All those years later, Ballerini remains close with her mother, even taking her with her as her date to the 2017 Grammy Awards. "The best accessory I have is my mother," Ballerini told People, recalling how they watched the Grammys together when she was 13, promising, "Hey mom, if I ever get to go you're my date!" According to Ballerini, her mother had not forgotten that invitation when Ballerini was nominated for Best New Artist that year. "She was like, 'Hey ...'"

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