Everything We Know About Kelsea Ballerini's Third Album, 'Kelsea'

On Jan. 22, Kelsea Ballerini officially announced her third studio album, Kelsea. In the months leading up to sharing the news, Ballerini hinted quite a bit at a new record in the works; she also dropped a small handful of new songs, including the vulnerable single "Homecoming Queen?"

On the afternoon of her big announcement, Ballerini broke the news to fans first in a secret pop-up show. Shortly thereafter, she revealed her plans for a new record via her social media, including the album's cover art. Read on to learn everything we know about the new record!

The Title

Ballerini's third studio album is a simple twist on a self-titled record. She's calling the new project Kelsea.

The Release Date

After announcing the album in January, Ballerini wasn't about to make fans wait too long to hear her new batch of music. Kelsea is due out on March 20.

The Record Label

Kelsea will be released via Black River Entertainment. Both of her previous full-length albums, as well as a 2014 EP, were also released via the label.

The Producer

There's no word yet on who produced Ballerini's forthcoming project; however, she earns the title of co-producer for the first time ever on the project, she tells Nash Country Daily.

“I learned a lot [as co-producer]. I think, on my first two albums, I was more of a student. I think I was learning more about musicality and being a musician. I hadn’t even played a full-band show when I made my first album, so I think I had a lot to learn," Ballerini admits. "But now, I trust myself a lot more. I’m more invested in this album. Not only did I write it all, but I was part of bringing it to life in the studio, too, which is the full journey of the songs."

The Album Cover

Ballerini shared the cover art for Kelsea in an Instagram post on Jan. 22, along with the official announcement of her new album. The album's cover is a photograph of the singer, lying in a grassy field, wearing a ruffled, strapless, pale pink outfit. The album's name is spelled out in all-white, lower-case letters at the bottom of the frame.

The Single

"Homecoming Queen?," the first single off of the then-unnamed new project, came out in early September of 2019. The song delves into a more vulnerable, reflective side of the singer than she'd ever shared with fans before; in fact, Ballerini says the song is "definitely the most emotional song I've ever released."

Ballerini shares a beautifully simple, stripped-down message of self-love and acceptance in "Homecoming Queen?," with the track attended sparsely by acoustic guitar. The singer co-wrote the song with Nicolle Galyon and Jimmy Robbins.

The Songs

After dropping "Homecoming Queen?", Ballerini subsequently shared "Club," a mid-tempo anthem for all those who have more fun staying in than going out; “LA,” which she calls “the most vulnerable thing I’ve publicly shared;" and her "first drinking song," "Hole in the Bottle."

In late February, she revealed the full track list for the project via a sneaky, cryptic Instagram post. What originally appeared to be a blank white square turned out to reveal Kelsea's list of songs in its entirety, once fans began to adjust the contrast on the image. The newly announced details included two big-name collaborators for the project: Kenny Chesney and Halsey.

Additionally, earlier on, Ballerini revealed that she'd been working with some out-of-genre A-listers to write the songs on her new album. Among them are pop artists Ed Sheeran, Ryan Tedder and Julia Michaels.

**Kelsea Ballerini, Kelsea Track Listing:**

1. "Overshare"
2. "Club"
3. "Homecoming Queen?"
4. "The Other Girl" (with Halsey)
5. "Love Me Like a Girl"
6. "Love and Hate"
7. "Bragger"
8. "Hole in the Bottle"
9. "Half of My Hometown" (feat. Kenny Chesney)
10. "The Way I Used To"
11. "Needy"
12. "A Country Song"
13. "L.A."