Kelsea Ballerini Mesmerizes With ‘Mountain With A View’ Performance At People’s Choice Country Awards
The song appears on Ballerini’s ‘Rolling Up The Welcome Mat.’
Kelsea Ballerini; Photo by Katherine Bomboy/NBC
Kelsea Ballerini delivered a stunning performance of “Mountain With A View” during the first-ever People’s Choice Country Awards on Thursday (Sept. 28).
Live from Nashville’s iconic Grand Ole Opry house, the four-time People’s Choice Country Awards nominee sported a sleek gold dress and she belted out the lyrics to the emotional song.
“Mountain With A View” was written solely by Ballerini and finds her recalling a tumultuous time in her relationship with Morgan Evans.
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“You’re across the pond at a show, I think, in Amsterdam/ And the pictures look pretty, at least they do on your Instagram/ We say good morning, then goodnight/ I wonder if you even know where I am, where I am,” she sings.
On the chorus she appears to come to the realization that their marriage is over as she sings, “I’m wearin’ the ring still, but I think I’m lyin’/ Sometimes you forget yours, I think we’re done tryin’/ I realize you loved me much more at twenty-three/ I think that this is when it’s over for me.”
Rolling Up The Welcome Mat
The track appears on Kelsea Ballerini’s latest project, Rolling Up The Welcome Mat, which was released on Valentine’s Day of this year. The collection details the downfall of Ballerini’s marriage to fellow country singer/songwriter, Morgan Evans.
Ballerini originally wrote the songs to help her heal in the aftermath of her divorce in the public eye. She brought them to life through the Rolling Up The Welcome Mat short film, which made its debut alongside the release of the EP.
The project took on a life of its own when Ballerini began performing the songs during her live shows.
Closing The Chapter
Due to the overwhelming demand from her fans, Ballerini later released Rolling Up The Welcome Mat (For Good). The expanded recording finds Ballerini once again teaming up with co-producer Alysa Vanderheym and includes “Interlude (Full Length),” a live rendition of “Penthouse (Healed Version)” that encapsulates the dynamic atmosphere of her live shows, an enhanced “Blindsided (Yeah, Sure, Okay)” incorporating the lyrics introduced during her Saturday Night Live appearance, and the brand-new track, “How Do I Do This.”
“There’s just been so much that’s happened and it’s because of you guys telling me to sing these songs and you guys showing up over and over again for the process of the lifespan of this EP. So yeah, it is the end of this chapter,” she shared during a screening of her Rolling Up The Welcome Mat short film in Nashville. “It is my thank you to you for showing up for this chapter.”
Soon, Ballerini will make her way back to her hometown of Knoxville, Tenn. for the biggest headlining concert of her career. Taking place on November 2, the “bucket list” concert will take place at Knoxville’s Thompson-Boling Arena at Food City Center.
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.”
The show sold out almost immediately.
People’s Choice Country Awards
The first-ever People’s Choice Country Awards took place at the iconic Grand Ole Opry House in Nashville, Tennessee on Thursday (Sept. 28).
Throughout the show, awards for 12 categories were given out, including People’s Artist of 2023, Male Artist of 2023, Female Artist of 2023, Group/Duo of 2023, New Artist of 2023, Social Country Star of 2023, Song of 2023, Collaboration Song of 2023, Crossover Song of 2023, Album of 2023, Music Video of 2023 and Concert Tour of 2023.
Toby Keith was honored with the Country Icon Award, which was presented to him by Blake Shelton. Wynonna Judd was also celebrated with the Country Champion Award, given to her by Brothers Osborne.
The coveted awards show also featured performances from Blake Shelton, Carly Pearce, Dan + Shay, HARDY, Jelly Roll, Kane Brown, Kelsea Ballerini, Little Big Town, Toby Keith, Wynonna Judd and more.
Adam Doleac, Blake Shelton, Brothers Osborne, Carly Pearce, Chris Young, Dustin Lynch, Gabby Barrett, Hunter Hayes, Jessie James Decker, Josh Ross, Kameron Marlowe, Kristin Cavallari, Lady A, Lauren Alaina, Leanne Morgan, Mickey Guyton, Nikki Garcia, Scotty McCreery and The War And Treaty were also on hand to present.
Little Big Town was the host of the show. “We are honored to host the inaugural ‘People’s Choice Country Awards,’ especially on one of our most beloved stages in the entire world,” the group previously shared in a press release. “We look forward to welcoming so many of our talented peers to take the Opry stage for this magical night of music.”
The 2023 People’s Choice Country Awards’ aired live on NBC and Peacock on September 28 at 8/7c simultaneously on NBC and Peacock.
The livestream also aired on Peacock, PCA Twitter, NBC Twitter/Facebook/YouTube, TODAY All Day/Twitter, E! News Twitter/Facebook/YouTube/E!Online, Access Twitter/YouTube, and Circle TV Network and Circle social platforms, featuring red carpet arrivals, backstage chats and more.
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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