Kelsea Ballerini Defends Beyoncé’s Country Grammy Nominations: “You Don’t Have To Be a Country Artist To Make a Country Record”

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Country singer Kelsea Ballerini finds it puzzling as to why people might object to artists such as Beyoncé and Post Malone being put forward for country award nominations.

31-year-old vocalist, who received a Grammy nomination this year for the best country duo/group performance category, discussed the upcoming awards during an interview on SiriusXM’s Fierce: Women in Music on Friday. Host Lori Majewski questioned the artist, originally from Tennessee, regarding her thoughts on musicians such as Beyoncé, Post Malone, and Kacey Musgraves, who experiment across multiple genres, being nominated alongside traditional country artists like Chris Stapleton and Lainey Wilson in the same category.

The genre I’m referring to this year mirrors the essence of country music, which is what the Album of the Year category should embody. It’s about recognizing the achievements and innovations in our genre this year. I find it hard to comprehend other viewpoints, but it’s wonderful to see established artists and diverse genres acknowledging ours, and I don’t see why that wouldn’t be fantastic,” said the artist behind “Cowboys Cry Too.

Ballerini expressed her confusion about why it’s acceptable for pop artists to dabble in country music, but not vice versa. “It’s not necessary to be a country artist to produce a country song,” she further stated. “These genres don’t need to share the same sphere.

The singer mentioned her plans to bring her boyfriend, Chase Stokes from “Outer Banks”, as her date to the Grammy awards. Ballerini is nominated for “Cowboys Cry Too”, her duet with folk-pop artist Noah Kahan. She explained that they are all friends and often hang out, as their homes are close by. Ballerini had previously suggested to this group at the Country Music Awards that the four of them would have a double date at this Sunday’s Grammy ceremony.

She mentioned that Noah and she will be taking some photos, after which they’ll head inside to enjoy some wine while watching performances. She expressed that this would make for an exceptional date night. Additionally, it serves as a celebration of a song she’s particularly proud of, as well as spending time with an artist she deeply admires, making it a special occasion that also functions as both a date and a double date.

Ballerini was full of compliments for Kahan. “I can’t express enough,” she stated, “Every collaboration I’ve had with him has taught me something unique, and some have been more enjoyable than others. However, Noah is simply an exceptional person and a remarkable songwriter.

As a five-time nominee for a Grammy that she hasn’t yet taken home, Ballerini pondered over her past achievements.

She mentioned, “I don’t usually win contests,” she added, “and I’m perfectly fine with that. In the past, there were instances that would make me shed tears at night – one was being told I didn’t belong in the ‘country’ category and another was not winning awards.

The singer expressed that she has transformed her perspective towards her career. “Country music means different things to different people. To me, it’s about expressing your personal experiences and stories honestly. Whether it’s a banjo or an electronic beat, what matters is the truth behind it,” Ballerini explained, highlighting that being invited to perform on shows like the CMAs or ACMs is already a reward in itself. “Since I shifted my mindset to think this way, I’m usually excited to show up and perform, although there are times when I’m not.

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2025-01-31 22:55