Kelsea Ballerini

My life is truly pop country.

I was living in Knoxville, Tennessee, and I didn't really know how you would become a singer. I didn't even think that I could do it. I didn't even dream about it. But when I was 12, it was that year where I got tall, boys got cute, everything was weird. Then my parents split up on top of that, so it was a big year of change for me.

I feel like if you just walk with a purpose, people will think you're supposed to be there. That's my life theory.

I grew up on a farm in eastern Tennessee with a very southern lifestyle, so my roots are super country and southern, but my first concert was Britney Spears. I think that you can hear both of those influences in my music.

I grew up performing in glee club at my school; I was the ostrich in 'Peter Pan,' and then I was super-involved in church choir and worship leading at my church. So I always loved music and was involved with it, but never really thought it was what I wanted to do until I started writing.

I grew up loving music, like, loving it. I was involved in church choir, leading worship and all the choirs in my school - even glee club.

When I was 15, my mom and I packed everything up and moved to Nashville so I could pursue my dream in music.

My biggest dream is to headline an arena tour.

I'm not super traditional at all.

It took a while to learn to eat healthy on road. It's really hard. Really, really hard. But on the bus, I can use the stovetop in the morning to make a veggie scramble. And have lots and lots and lots of coffee. I try to have protein for dinner so I have energy for the show.

I get to remind myself and other people to be yourself, to rock you who you are, and don't worry about if it fits.

I was writing country songs, but I wasn't listening to country yet. I grew up on a farm in East Tennessee, so my roots are country, you know? But I didn't know where those songs came from or where they fit.