Kelsea Ballerini did it again. Having such high expectations for her new album “Unapologetically,” and she fulfilled them. I’ve been very impatient after hearing her teasers she released a few months ago, and now that it’s finally here, I can say it’s the best lyrically written album I’ve heard this year.
Her album written as a storyline of her life is so unique and relatable to people, especially young women. We’re growing up with her from “Graveyard’ to “Legends,” and that’s what makes it so special. From start to finish this album is pure gold and there ins’t a song that isn’t a hit.
She’s played some of her new songs on the road, but I’d have to say some of my favorites are the tracks that she saved for us to hear.
Starting with “Machine Heart, ” written by Kelsea, Greg Wells, and James Abrahart. This track is one of the pure songs for girls in their teens/twenties going through finding out who they are and realizing their heart isn’t something people can take advantage of. It’s about self actualization. Kelsea nailed the lyrics. There are too many lyrics I can pull out, pretty much the entire song, but the words that really stood out to me were:
“I kept it quiet
But now you’ll hear it scream
Cause good or bad or right or wrong
It’s finally found its beat”
Her emphasis when she sings the lyrics stands out. You don’t even need to be actually paying attention when you hear the song, because it’s striking enough to grab your attention right back to it when you hear it.
Ladies, “Get over Yourself” written by Kelsea, Shane McAnally and Ross Copperman is the sassy bop of the century. The amount of times I’ve replayed this song and felt like a badass is unhealthy.
“I didn’t miss a beat when I heard you were seeing, somebody else
And, I’m, over you thinking that every move that I’m making is just a game that I’m playing, because my heart is still breaking
Boy, I’m over you, I’m over you”
She unleashed her inner ego that every girl has been wanting/needing to hear. If you forced me to pick a favorite song from this album, this would be it.
“In Between” written by Kelsea, Jimmy Robbins, and Shane McAnally shows exactly what us college students are thinking. We’re all stuck in the middle of not knowing what we’re doing, but somehow Kelsea calmed it down for us in this melody. I think it’s a song us girls need to hear when we’re not exactly sure where our place is in life.
“I’m half head up in the clouds, half feet down on the ground
‘Cause it ain’t that simple
As an adult sittin’ on that page when they say, “Act your age“
But you’re stuck there in the middle”
Kelsea says “It captures as honestly as I could exactly where I’m at in my life right now,” and I think every girl can relate. It’s the last song she recorded for her album and one of her favorites.
Kelsea’s future is nothing but up from here. She is going to be the game-changer for women in country music, whether people like it or not. After dropping “Unapologetically,” she’s dangerous in the music industry. There’s not one song on this album that can’t break top 10 on the charts, take a listen for yourself.
Kelly Shea Cunningham 