Kelsea Ballerini, a well-known and liked country artist, has released a new EP full of heartbreak, passion and truth.
Ballerini has been in the news following her divorce from Morgan Evans. Her EP is meant to be an expression of her experiences throughout the marriage.
Rumors were spread and theories were created after Evans released a song called, “Over For You” to tell his side of the story. At first, everyone fell in love with the honesty and blamed Ballerini. That was until she spilled some untold perspective.
Her EP, Rolling Up the Welcome Mat, is six songs and lasts about 16 minutes. It can also be viewed as a short film. It can be listened to either in order or on shuffle.
The first song, “Mountain With A View,” starts with Ballerini still in her marriage. She continues to wear her ring but realizes the love has changed. Within her lyrics, she responds to Evans’ song and says, “I realize you loved me much more at twenty-three/I think that this is when it’s over for me, mm, mm.”
As the EP progresses, viewers will listen to a slow and calm song entitled “Just Married.” The descriptive lyrics and repetitive lines are meant to emphasize Ballerini’s memories. She recalls the wedding and how their love went from real to an idea. Ballerini admits the weight of this relationship was too much for her to hold on.
“Penthouse” is the third song in the EP which is a story from the beginning of their marriage to the end. Ballerini writes “’Cause we were playing home in a penthouse, baby, mm” to say their relationship became superficial. By the end, she was packing up boxes and giving Evans his divorce settlement.
So far, Ballerini has touched on the pain and heartbreak she felt over the years of marriage. She knows the love between her and Evans has shifted, but she continues to hold on in hopes of change. However, the fight had to end and that means the separation has to become real.
In the “Interlude,” Ballerini does a quick few lines regarding the publicity and rumors surrounding her public divorce. Evans’ song was released prior to their announcement so viewers were already making assumptions. Ballerini realizes the internet is taking sides and wishes the truth would be accepted rather than questioned.
“Blindsided” is the fifth song in this collection and it touches on the more negative aspects of her relationship. She mentions how she had been telling the truth about her feelings for years, but it was never accepted until the very end. Ballerini is not afraid to use her pop side to demonstrate the disconnect between the two. Was he truly blindsided or did he prefer to be blind?
When it comes to acoustics, Ballerini never fails. “Leave Me Alone” is a perfect balance of guitar and raw vocals. The repetition of “I hope I never leave me again” is so important to Ballerini’s image of vulnerability and self-love. She sees how lost she became throughout her marriage and how valuable it is to stay true to yourself.
Ballerini’s album offers an incredible new perspective and received very positive reviews. It is impossible to know which side is more true, but the emotion and lyrics make the songs memorable nonetheless. Ballerini finally tells her story and seems to be healing after getting it off her chest.
Finding a fresh start and trying again is always stressful but Ballerini does it to the best of her ability. She put herself first and is growing as a person. Currently, Ballerini is back on tour with a few dates still available.
She is performing her Heartfirst album with a few songs from Rolling Up the Welcome Mat.
Country artists can tell very honest and passionate stories. Kelsea Ballerini proved this with her recent EP.
