Kelsea Ballerini Announces ‘Bucket List’ Hometown Concert In Knoxville
Ballerini will kick off a “new level of touring” with the hometown show.
Kelsea Ballerini; Photo by Andrew Wendowski
Kelsea Ballerini is heading home for her first major area concert at Knoxville’s Thompson-Boling Arena at Food City Center.
On the morning of her 30th birthday, Ballerini surprised fans with the homecoming concert news, revealing plans to headline her hometown arena on Thursday, November 2.
Homecoming Concert
Ballerini announced the news in a video featuring her beloved dog, Dibs. In the clip, the country superstar and her four-legged pal are seen hopping in her jeep and making their way to the University of Tennessee campus in Knoxville. They pass iconic Knoxville landmarks such as the Sunsphere, the historic theatre district, Neyland Stadium, and more.
Decked out in their best Tennessee Volunteers gear, they wind up inside the arena that Ballerini will soon headline where they come face-to-face with Smokey, the UT mascot.
Watch The Announcement Video
The one-night-only event will feature special guests Ingrid Andress and Georgia Webster.
“Throughout the last decade and four albums, there has been a consistent ode to my hometown. Whether it be lyrically like in ‘half of my hometown’ or celebrating milestone moments in venues like my high school, the Tennessee Theater, or the Civic Center, it’s always been incredibly important to me to go back to the place that let me go to chase my dream. Playing Thompson-Boling has been on my bucket list since I was a little kid watching my favorite musicians come through town and is the perfect place to celebrate such a bookmark year and kick off a new level of touring.”
With “IF YOU GO DOWN (I’M GOIN’ DOWN TOO)” steadily making its way into the Top 15 on Country radio, and after successfully headlining three theater tours over the past ten months, along with being the exclusive support act for Kenny Chesney’s I Go Back 2023 tour, there remained one important item on Ballerini’s agenda: go home.
Bucket List Moment
The homecoming performance will take her back to the very place that molded her spirit, instilled my core values, and fueled her unwavering determination to achieve success.
Tickets for the event go on sale for members of Kelsea’s fan club at 10AM local time on Wednesday, September 13. General on-sale for the once-in-a-lifetime show is 10AM local time on Friday, September 15. For purchase tickets, visit her official website HERE.
VMAs Performance
The East Tennessee native is also gearing up to perform for the first time ever at the MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs) on Tuesday, September 12. Emceed by Nicki Minaj, the MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs) will broadcast live from the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey on Tuesday, September 12 at 8/7c on MTV.
Kelsea Ballerini is currently up for two nominations at the 2023 CMA Awards, including Female Vocalist Of The Year and Album Of The Year (‘Rolling Up The Welcome Mat’).
Additionally, the GRAMMY-nominated artist recently released Rolling Up The Welcome Mat (For Good), which arrived on August 11. The project features seven tracks, including a brand-new song “How Do I Do This,” which brings Ballerini’s life story “up to date.”
Latest Release
Rolling Up The Welcome Mat (For Good) also includes updated lyrics in “Penthouse (Healed Version),” “Interlude (Full Length)” and “Blindsided (Yeah, Sure, Okay).” These fresh releases reflect Ballerini’s recent performances that have come as a result of her journey to finally finding peace and healing from her 2022 divorce with fellow country artist Morgan Evans.
“I thought when Alysa and I were making Rolling Up The Welcome Mat, it was something I would release and never revisit,” Ballerini shared. “I wasn’t sure what was going to happen, and that wasn’t the point of the music. Now, in hindsight and with a full heart, I want all those people who came alongside me and supported this album to know that I will never be able to fully express my gratitude, but (For Good) is my best attempt.”
Ballerini continued, “And I also want them to know: we move on. The best part of Rolling Up The Welcome Mat (For Good) is knowing I don’t need to talk about this stuff anymore. My whole life is ahead of me, so this expanded version is to let people know there’s real freedom in breaking down, in facing the emotions because it gets you to where your life can really shine.”
For more information on Kelsea Ballerini’s latest project and upcoming shows, visit her official website HERE.
Lauren Jo Black, a University of Central Florida graduate, has immersed herself in the world of country music for over 15 years. In 2008, she co-founded CountryMusicIsLove, eventually selling it to a major record label in 2015. Following the rebranding of the website to Sounds Like Nashville, Black served as Editor-in-Chief for two and a half years. Currently, she assumes the role of Editor-in-Chief at Country Now and oversees Country Now’s content and digital footprint. Her extensive experience also encompasses her previous role as a Country Music Expert Writer for Answers.com and her work being featured on Forbes.com. She’s been spotlighted among Country Aircheck’s Women of Influence and received the 2012 Rising Star Award from the University of Central Florida. Black also spent time in front of the camera as host of Country Now Live, which brought live music directly to fans in 2021 when the majority of concerts were halted due to the pandemic. During this time, she hosted 24 weeks of live concerts via Country Now Live on Twitch with special guests such as Lady A, Dierks Bentley, Jordan Davis, Brett Young, and Jon Pardi. Over the course of her career, she has had the privilege of conducting interviews with some of the industry’s most prominent stars, including Reba McEntire, Blake Shelton, Luke Combs, Carrie Underwood, Luke Bryan, Miranda Lambert, Lainey Wilson, and many others. Lauren Jo Black is a longtime member of the Country Music Association and the Academy of Country Music.
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