Story Behind the Song: Kelsea Ballerini, ‘Legends’
Kelsea Ballerini's "Legends," the lead single from her sophomore album, Unapologetically, is poised to be her fourth No. 1 hit. Written by Ballerini, Hillary Lindsey and Forest Glen Whitehead, the tune came about when Ballerini was going through a particularly dark time in her romantic life.
Now that Ballerini is happily engaged to her fiance, Morgan Evans, she no longer feels the angst of a broken heart. Thankfully, though, she has found that "Legends" is still applicable to her life, just in a different way.
Below, Ballerini shares with The Boot the story behind "Legends."
It’s a chameleon. It’s the first song that I’ve ever written that has changed meanings for me.
I wrote it from a breakup three years ago, because I had written a lot of "Get Over Yourself," "Miss Me More," "Graveyard" kind of songs -- angsty, dark, mad, sad. But I was so ready to be over it, and I think that to really be over it, you have to acknowledge the good. So that was my song of acknowledging the good, in a very bright way.
And then when it was time to pick the single, this song kept raising its hand. And I was like, "Man. This isn’t where I’m at anymore, and I don’t know if I relate to it anymore like that." So I started listening to it, and it changed meanings for me. It’s a love song to me now, and it’s about a love that you’re nostalgic about, that doesn’t necessarily have to end. So it’s the last song on the record because, to me, it’s kind of like that forever, which I think will open up to start the next chapter of whatever that looks like.
Modern Country Music's Female Trailblazers
More From TheBoot
![18 Years Ago: Jo Dee Messina Runs the Boston Marathon](http://townsquare.media/site/623/files/2015/04/jo-dee-messina-boston-marathon.jpg?w=980&q=75)
![14 Years Ago: Alan Jackson Receives Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame](http://townsquare.media/site/623/files/2015/04/alan-jackson-hollywood-walk-of-fame-star.jpg?w=980&q=75)
![35 Years Ago: Dolly Parton Serves as Host and Musical Guest on ‘SNL’](http://townsquare.media/site/623/files/2015/04/dolly-parton-saturday-night-live.png?w=980&q=75)
![53 Years Ago: John Denver’s ‘Take Me Home, Country Roads’ Is Released](http://townsquare.media/site/623/files/2015/11/john-denver-birthday1.jpg?w=980&q=75)
![35 Years Ago: Garth Brooks Releases His Debut Album](http://townsquare.media/site/623/files/2017/04/garth-brooks-debut-album.jpg?w=980&q=75)
![32 Years Ago: Wynonna Judd Hits No. 1 With Debut Solo Single](http://townsquare.media/site/623/files/2017/04/wynonna-judd-she-is-his-only-need-no-1.jpg?w=980&q=75)
![29 Years Ago: George Strait Records ‘Check Yes or No’ and ‘I Know She Still Loves Me’](http://townsquare.media/site/623/files/2017/04/George-Strait.jpg?w=980&q=75)
![33 Years Ago: Patty Loveless Earns First Gold Album With ‘Honky Tonk Angel’](http://townsquare.media/site/623/files/2015/04/patty-loveless-honky-tonk-angel.jpg?w=980&q=75)
![55 Years Ago: Bob Dylan Releases ‘Nashville Skyline’](http://townsquare.media/site/623/files/2019/04/dylan-nashvill.jpg?w=980&q=75)