KELSEA BALLERINI SPARKS ALBUM RELEASE WITH THE UNAPOLOGETICALLY TOUR LAUNCH THIS WINTER
Fueled by a successful sold-out headlining tour last year, THE FIRST TIME TOUR, acclaimed Country star KELSEA BALLERINI is pushing full-throttle with the announce of THE UNAPOLOGETICALLY TOUR this winter.
Lauded by this week’s Entertainment Weekly ”3 Rounds With” feature, “Country music is a notoriously male-dominated industry, but one woman makes conquering it look easy: Kelsea Ballerini.” The trailblazing Black River Entertainment recording artist’s nationwide trek kicks off February 8 at the Alabama Theatre in Birmingham, AL, and wraps April 27 at the annual Stagecoach Festival in Indio, CA (on-sale now), with stops in Nashville, TN, New York, NY and Seattle, WA.
“Great things happen when music surrounds you, I really believe that,” shared Ballerini. “One of the coolest things to me about headlining is being able to create a world for your fans to step into. I can’t wait for you to join me on this new journey with my good friend Walker and begin chapter two together!”
Special guest and breakout artist Walker Hayes is featured on all dates. Rising star Bailey Bryan joins the lineup for one-night-only at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium on Valentine’s Day. Tickets for THE UNAPOLOGETICALLY TOUR go on-sale this Friday, November 3, at 10 a.m. (local time).
For fans that want to fully step into Ballerini’s tour world, VIP Experiences will be available at each show thanks to CID Entertainment. Packages include a meet & greet with Ballerini, collectible merchandise, an invitation to the ‘Unapologetically’ pre-show experience and early venue entry. VIP packages will be available for purchase beginning Tuesday, October 31 at 10 a.m. (local time) via https://kelseaballerini.com/events.
Announced dates, cities, and venues of THE UNAPOLOGETICALLY TOUR to date:
2/8/18 - Birmingham, AL - Alabama Theatre+
2/9/18 - Chattanooga, TN - Tivoli Theatre+
2/10/18 - Augusta, GA - William G. Bell Auditorium+
2/14/18 - Nashville, TN - Ryman Auditorium++
2/16/18 - Clearwater, FL - Ruth Eckerd Hall+
2/22/18 - Columbus, OH - Express Live!+
2/23/18 - Milwaukee, WI - Riverside Theater+
2/24/18 - Des Moines, IA - Hoyt Sherman Place+
4/5/18 - New York, NY - PlayStation Theater+
4/6/18 - Sayreville, NJ - Starland Ballroom+
4/7/18 - Richmond, VA - The National+
4/19/18 - Portland, OR - Crystal Ballroom+
4/20/18 - Spokane, WA - The Knitting Factory+
4/21/18 - Seattle, WA – Showbox SoDo+
4/25/18 - Santa Barbara, CA - Arlington Theatre+
4/27/18 - Indio, CA – Stagecoach Festival
+ Special guest Walker Hayes
++ Special guests Walker Hayes and Bailey Bryan
Before Ballerini takes the stage with icon Reba McEntire at the 51st annual CMA Awards (11/8) for a must-see duet, the Female Vocalist of the Year nominee returned to her alma mater, Knoxville’s Central High School, Saturday (10/28), for a “mountaintop” hometown celebration ahead of the UNAPOLOGETICALLY album release on November 3.
In partnership with the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development for their Snapchat Concert Series and ongoing “The Soundtrack of America. Made in Tennessee.” brand campaign, Ballerini proudly returned to the spot she stood as a student performing an original song for the very first time.
Sporting a bedazzled “Central” school jersey emblazoned with “Ballerini” on the back, the grateful alum embodied everything her “Bobcat Nation” had once taught her – “Dream, Believe, Achieve.” Bringing the moment full circle, she presented the Choral Department with a check for $20K, with the support of the Academy of Country Music, prior to her fitting encore performance of “High School.”
Overwhelmed with pure emotion, Ballerini tearfully shared, “My two years here were two of the most character and career defining years of my entire life and my biggest advice to anyone in middle school or high school is to find what makes you happy and do it.” Adding, “And if that is music, I want to help.” In turn, the school’s principal surprised Ballerini with their highest honor, the Bobcat Award.
The showstopper mixed her smash-hits such as her history-making penned “Peter Pan” – recently recognized as one of the “Ten Songs I Wish I’d Written” for 2017 by the Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI) – with new tracks from her much-anticipated sophomore album, including current chart-rising single “Legends” and iTunes Country #1 “Miss Me More.”
Unapologetically in love, Ballerini created an intimate atmosphere for her fans by sweetly introducing her fiancé, Morgan Evans, in addition to dishing on the personal stories behind her new songs. While sitting on the edge of the stage, she also revealed what it meant to come home for the free show, which drew a landmark crowd from 26 states and four countries. The Tennessee Department of Tourist Development gifted all attendees with UNAPOLOGETICALLY download cards for the new album.
Ballerini will next make her debut on CBS’ The Late Show with Stephen Colbert on November 3, followed by ABC’s Good Morning America live from Nashville on November 8.
For more information on THE UNAPOLOGETICALLY TOUR and VIP Packages visit KelseaBallerini.com, and reach out to her on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Fans can also follow along the tour with #KB2TOUR.
About Kelsea Ballerini:
Named among the "30 Biggest Albums of Fall” by Entertainment Weekly, GRAMMY nominee Kelsea Ballerini has released her first heart-melting anthemic single “Legends” off her highly anticipated sophomore album, UNAPOLOGETICALLY, slated to drop November 3. The Black River Entertainment artist skyrocketed to stardom after releasing three consecutive PLATINUM-certified, #1 smashes from her critically acclaimed, GOLD debut album THE FIRST TIME – “Love Me Like You Mean It," “Peter Pan,” and “Dibs” – making her the only female artist in Country music history, including female duos and groups, to achieve this accolade. The talented singer-songwriter also reached GOLD with Top 5 hit “Yeah Boy,” after having written or co-written all 12 songs on her debut. Ballerini has appeared on the cover of Billboard Magazine’s GRAMMY preview issue, was included in Forbes’ “30 Under 30” class of 2017, and featured in People Magazine’s “Beauty at Every Age” list in their iconic World’s Most Beautiful issue for 2017. She's been named “The Country Sweetheart” in People’s elite “Ones to Watch” portfolio, praised by Rolling Stone as the “Nashville It Girl,” touted by Billboard as “Country’s Next Queen,” and selected as one of CMT’s Next Women of Country. After her 2016 headline THE FIRST TIME TOUR – which visited dozens of cities across the U.S. and included sold-out shows in her hometown of Knoxville, Tennessee; Minneapolis, Minnesota; New York City; Los Angeles; and more – Ballerini joined Thomas Rhett for his HOME TEAM TOUR followed by Lady Antebellum’s YOU LOOK GOOD WORLD TOUR. Awarded Billboard’s “Rising Star” title at the prestigious 2015 Women in Music event, she has continued to gain recognition by scoring her first-ever ACM Award win for New Female Vocalist of the Year, iHeartRadio Music Award for Best New Country Artist, multiple Radio Disney Music Awards, American Country Countdown Award (ACCA) for Breakthrough Female of the Year, ACM Honors’ Gene Weed Milestone Award and acknowledged as Artist of the Year by Nashville Business Journal. Ballerini is vying for Female Vocalist of the Year at the 51st annual CMA Awards airing live from Nashville on November 8 on ABC. She will also be honored with the ASCAP Vanguard Award at the 55th annual ASCAP Country Music Awards (11/6).
About Walker Hayes:
Mobile, Ala. born-and-raised singer/songwriter and Monument recording artist, Walker Hayes, released two collections of eight songs, in conjunction with SMACKSongs, in 2016: 8 Tracks (Vol 1): Good Shit and (Vol. 2): Break The Internet. Hayes’ quirky lyrics and unorthodox arrangements landed him on tour with syndicated morning radio host, Bobby Bones, as well as Dan+Shay’s Obsessed Tour. His first single, “You Broke Up With Me,” impacted Country radio on June 26 and is available on all streaming services and for digital download. The single has already held the No. 1 spot on SiriusXM's the Highway Top 30. Currently, Hayes is on the road for Thomas Rhett’s Home Team Tour and will be releasing his album boom., that Hayes co-produced with GRAMMY Award-winning producer Shane McAnally, on December 8, 2017.
About Bailey Bryan:
Since Billboard's Chartbreaker Bailey Bryan first arrived on the scene with her debut single "Own It," critics have prepared the world to "fall in love" (PEOPLE) with the singer/songwriter. Touted by Rolling Stone and Entertainment Weekly as an "artist you need to know," Bryan's debut EP SO FAR (300 Entertainment/Warner Music Nashville) has been hailed as “excellent, infectious” (New York Times). She is continuing to introduce her new music to live audiences across the country joining Chris Lane on tour this fall, following recent runs with Kane Brown and Dan+Shay as well as slots on several major festivals. For additional information and a full list of tour dates, visit www.baileybryan.com.