Lipscomb alumna Kelsea Ballerini nominated for first Grammy Award
Grace Mestad |
Kelsea Ballerini has had a whirlwind of success as a new artist in country music. She recently topped the charts with her third consecutive single, “Peter Pan,” from her debut album The First Time and is now headlining her first solo tour, which she announced this fall while touring with Rascal Flatts.
Now the Knoxville native can now add Grammy nominee to her list of successes.
On Tuesday, December 6, Ballerini received the nomination in the Best New Artist category alongside artists Maren Morris, The Chainsmokers, Chance the Rapper and Anderson. Paak.
In a recent interview with E! News, Ballerini spoke about her nomination saying she wasn’t expecting the nomination at all, but is so grateful to have the chance to represent Nashville and country music.
“To me, every awards show is incredible whether its industry-voted or fan-voted. All of it's incredible. But the Grammys is the one. It's top-tier. It's the pinnacle. And just to be thought of as one of the five best new artists of this year is so flattering and so incredible and I'm super honored,” Ballerini said.
The singer-songwriter has had one of the most spectacular breakthrough years for a female in country music. Her debut single, “Love Me Like You Mean It” took the country radio scene by storm in a way no one has seen a new female artist do in nearly a decade.
Ballerini’s infectious music has also earned her an American Country Music Award for New Female Vocalist of the Year in 2016 and Billboard’s Women in Music Rising Star award in 2015. She was also nominated at this year’s ACM’s for Female Vocalist of the Year alongside Miranda Lambert, Maren Morris, Kacey Musgraves and winner Carrie Underwood.
The 59th Annual Grammy Awards will air live Sunday, Feb. 12 at 7 p.m. central on CBS. The Late Show host James Corden will host the televised event. For more information, visit: www.grammy.com.
Lipscomb University's College of Entertainment & the Arts recently launched a contemporary music program led by music producer and songwriter Charlie Peacock, artist-in-residence at the college. The Bachelor of Music degree in Contemporary Music will train students in all aspects of contemporary and creative music making. Students will be trained as singer/songwriters, producers and composers as well as prepared for other careers in the music industry. The program focuses on training independent, entrepreneurial artists. Students also train in a dual-degree setting where they will choose an additional field that will better prepare them for their careers. Singer/songwriter and music production programs are offered. To learn more, click here.