Kelsea Ballerini’s ‘Half Of My Hometown’ Music Video is a Touching Tribute to East Tennessee

This is Music Video of the Year-worthy.

Lauren Jo Black

| Posted on

May 14, 2021

10:43 am

Kelsea Ballerini pays homage to her hometown of Knoxville, Tennessee in the just-released music video for her newest single, “Half Of My Hometown.”

The personal clip gives fans a look at what may have happened if Ballerini stayed in her hometown instead of moving to Nashville to pursue her musical dreams. The cinematic clip opens with a young Ballerini saying “goodbye” to her friends as she makes her way to Nashville, however, the truck ends up getting unloaded and she moves back into her childhood home.

Personal home videos of Ballerini are also featured as the “what if” story unfolds before viewers’ eyes.

The goosebump-inducing video is one of Ballerini’s best releases to date and will undoubtedly be a contender for Music Video of the Year at future award shows.

“It feels very comfortable and easy to play because I think it’s a very realistic picture of what my life would be like had I stayed,” Ballerini shared in a statement. “It brings joy to my heart to know that I did leave and that I got to chase this dream and that I’m getting to come back and appreciate this life that I maybe could have had had I stayed.”

The track features guest vocals from Kenny Chesney, who doesn’t directly appear in the music video, however, Ballerini found a way to incorporate the fellow East Tennessee native into the music video.

Click above to watch the story unfold.

Chesney and Ballerini recently gave a stunning performance of “Half Of My Hometown” together on April 18 at the 56th ACM Awards. The track is featured on the Grammy-nominated artist’s latest album, kelsea.

Written by

Lauren Jo Black

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.