Kelsea Ballerini and Noah Kahan Break Stereotypes with ‘Cowboys Cry Too’
Ballerini’s next musical era starts now with this empowering Noah Kahan duet.
Kelsea Ballerini, Noah Kahan; Photo by Patrick Tracy
Kelsea Ballerini’s next musical era is upon us and it starts with “Cowboys Cry Too,” featuring GRAMMY nominee Noah Kahan.
This genre-bending collaboration aims to break down stereotypes associated with men and showcase that tough men, even cowboys, have feelings too. While society expects them to be strong and never waiver under pressure, the artists acknowledge that everyone, including strong, rugged cowboys, experiences moments of vulnerability and deep emotions.
The song kicks off with Ballerini’s stunning vocals on the first verse.
“He’s as tough as the tattoos up his right arm/ And I’ve talked him down from getting in a fight or two/ He stands his ground, he’s as stubborn as the weeds in the backyard/ ‘Cause growing up, he had to go where the wind blew/ He hides his heart and hurt, guess he kinda had to/ In a world that says, ‘Saddle up and be a man’/ When the sun goes down and his hazel eyes go blue/ That’s when I understand,” she sings.
After the first chorus, Kahan joins in on his self-written verse before they join together in harmons on the next chorus.
“’Cause cowboys cry too/ They may not let ’em fall down in their hometown thinkin’ they still got shit to prove/ That well runs deep/ But when he’s showin’ his skin, lettin’ me in, that’s when he’s toughest to me/ I never knew cowboys cry too,” they sing.
Ballerini originally wrote the song with producer Alysa Vanderheym and later had the idea to bring in a male voice.
“I always just thought, I think this song could be more impactful if there was a male counterpart that would go there to just rip open his chest and bare his soul and tell his side of that story. And I’m such a fan of Noah, that whole record. He is so willing to just be so open and vulnerable,” she explained during an interview on Today’s Country Radio on Apple Music Country. ”And so I texted it to him and he was like, ‘I love writing about this concept of men being vulnerable and not being scared to go there. And can I just have a couple weeks on the road to work on a verse?’ And I was like, ‘Absolutely.’ Sent it to him with an open verse.”
Before the ACM Awards, where they joined together on stage, they got into the studio and it all came together.
“And he was like, ‘All right. Let’s pull up the track.’ So we did. And he was like, ‘This is just what I’ve written. Hadn’t seen it before or anything. Just let me know what you think. No worries if we want to change anything,’” she recalled. “And he sang it word for word for what his verse is. And I was so grateful because he didn’t round any edges. He was like, ‘Here’s my story, here’s my perspective.’ And I was just like chill bumps on chill bumps. I was so grateful.”
Of the concept for the song, Ballerini shared, “In our world and culture and echo chamber of highlight reels and pretty things, sometimes real feelings start to feel like something you just set aside or push down to keep up Especially the way so many men grow up, that kind of toxic masculinity mindset of ‘saddle up, brush it off’. I wanted to write my perspective and essentially celebrate the vulnerable men in my life, and Noah adding his really unfiltered perspective into it just brought it to life in a more meaningful and beautiful way.”
Kahan added, “It’s the writers who are willing to go to the awkward places that inspire me. Kelsea is one of those, and I knew if we could find something we both believed to sing, it would expand how we look at the way we live, what society decides and we should reject. ‘Cowboys Cry Too’ is everything I believed our collaboration could be.”
“Cowboys Cry Too” follows Ballerini’s wildly successful Rolling Up The Welcome Mat, an emotional project sinpired by the emotions she felt before, during, and after her highly publicized divorce. A release date for her next project has yet to be confirmed.
Lauren Jo Black is a longtime country music journalist, editor, host, and media personality whose work has helped shape the conversation around country music for nearly two decades. As the current Editor-in-Chief of Country Now, she has become one of the genre’s most respected voices, interviewing hundreds of country music’s biggest stars, including Dolly Parton, Garth Brooks, Reba McEntire, Shania Twain, Randy Travis, Luke Bryan, Carrie Underwood, Blake Shelton, Luke Combs, and countless others. Over the course of her career, Black’s written work and interviews have reached billions of country music fans worldwide. A 2009 graduate of the University of Central Florida, Black began her career by founding Country Music Is Love, one of country music’s earliest independent digital publications, which she later sold to a major record label in 2015 before it was rebranded as Sounds Like Nashville. She then served as the publication’s Editor-in-Chief for more than two years. Her work has also appeared in Forbes, and she previously served as the Country Music Expert for Answers.com. Widely recognized for her expertise, Black has appeared as a featured guest on The Bobby Bones Show, BobbyCast, and Scripps News Morning Rush, providing insight on country music’s biggest moments. She has also hosted Country Now Live, a concert series featuring performances from artists including Lady A, Dierks Bentley, Riley Green, Jordan Davis, Dustin Lynch, Gabby Barrett, Brett Young, Jon Pardi, Kip Moore, Chris Young, and more. The series has welcomed thousands of fans in person while reaching millions more online. In addition, she hosted Connect With Country Now, a weekly interview series featuring conversations with rising country stars. Throughout her career, Black has earned a reputation for discovering and championing artists long before they become household names. She has covered Luke Bryan since the early days of his career, beginning when he was writing songs for other artists, including Billy Currington’s No. 1 hit “Good Directions,” before stepping into the spotlight with his debut single, “All My Friends Say” and eventually becoming one of biggest names in music. She also gave Megan Moroney her first opportunity to walk a major red carpet as Country Now’s official guest correspondent at the 2022 CMA Awards. An interview she conducted in 2018 for Forbes.com with Luke Combs that inspired his multi-week No. 1 hit, “Doin’ This.” She has also hosted stages at CMA Fest, moderated an industry panel at Country Radio Seminar, and helped lead important conversations about the evolving landscape of country music media. Beyond journalism, Black has also used her platform to support charitable causes and highlight organizations making an impact. Through Country Now Live, she has helped raise awareness and support for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, while also advocating for animal rescue through Country Now’s Pupdate series, spotlighting organizations including MuttNation Foundation, Wags & Walks, and Proverbs 12:10 Animal Rescue. Black has been recognized as one of Country Aircheck’s Women of Influence and received the 2012 Rising Star Award from the University of Central Florida. She is a longtime member of both the Country Music Association (CMA) and the Academy of Country Music (ACM). After nearly 20 years covering country music, Lauren Jo Black has spent her career telling the stories behind the artists, songs, and moments that have shaped the genre. Her first-ever book, Country Music Forever: An A-to-Z Celebration of Icons, Songs and Stories, brings that same passion and firsthand knowledge to the page, celebrating not only the legendary artists and timeless songs that have become the soundtrack to generations of fans, but also the places, traditions, and cultural moments that have made country music one of the most beloved genres around the world.
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