THE SKY'S DROPPIN' JUPITER AROUND US LIKE SOME OLD TRAIN...

SEPTEMBER IS HEREEEEE! In Knoxville, Labor Day Weekend is a big deal. Every year they host a firework show called Boomsday! Normally I'm not into fireworks or big crowds, but this year I knew I had to go! 

About three months ago I started hearing rumors about a concert or two that would be happening at Boomsday. At first I heard Rodney Atkins, then Native Run, and then…I heard the one name that made me jump for joy. Obviously I'm talking about Kelsea Ballerini! 

So…for the past month and a half I've been waiting for the moment to see Kelsea perform at Boomsday. 

I called in reinforcements and asked my best friend Nikki to join me for Boomsday! After some reassuring that we would NOT be staying for fireworks, she agreed. We met up with my friends Jeff and Kristina around 5pm and spent the next few hours listening to music and sweating…no really, it was MISERABLY HOT!!!

First up on the stage?  

Jackie and I both grew up in Blount County and we have TONS of mutual friends! This however, was my first time getting to meet him and see him perform live. Listen up y'all, I'm OBSESSED! He put on a great show and I am officially a HUGE fan! 

[SIDENOTE: Look for his interview on my website SOON!] 

CHECK OUT MY FAVORITE JACKIE LEE SONG HERE!

My friends and I ended up walking over to another stage to see another artist and ended up missing Lindsay Ell! I'm still terribly upset about this!!

BUT…I MADE IT BACK JUST IN TIME TO SEEEEEEEEEE….

So I've only seen Kelsea perform her songs live one other time and it was in the basement of WIVK in Knoxville while she was here on her radio tour! So being able to see her on stage and singing in front of tons of other people was a super exciting moment for me! 

Kelsea sang XO, Dibs, The First Time, a cover of Lady A's Downtown, and her new single Love Me Like You Mean It. Naturally I was in the front row singing every single word and awkwardly dancing. No really, VERY awkward. I'm 100% sure I was embarrassing myself but I don't mind one little bit. 

SIDENOTE: I SANG WITH KELSEA….okay, I'm lying a little bit. I sang in Kelsea's microphone…with about ten other girls…and I was off key….and STILL awkward dancing. Regardless though, I can check that off my bucket list. 

After her set I of course spent the next hour taking pictures and hanging out with everyone.

Special shout-out to these two studs! I've seen these guys perform many times and together, they make a great pair! I am so glad Jacob Simmons and Josh Kerr are part of Kelsea's team. 

[Oh and thanks Caty and Sutton for sharing Jacob with Knoxville for the evening! On behalf of everyone else, we appreciate it!]

Kelsea Ballerini: you are the cutest and sweetest girl ever! Thanks for being my favorite singer/songwriter and friend! I love you AND I mean it!

[I leave you with just a few more pictures from the amazing night]

So until next time Boomsday….

ARTIST INTERVIEW: KELSEA BALLERINI

A little over a year ago I made the greatest discovery of my life. That of course being Kelsea Ballerini’s music. They say “love at first sight” is real. What about “love at first listen?” Can that be a thing? In my mind it should be. I can honestly say I’ve listened to Kelsea’s music EVERY SINGLE DAY since the first time I heard her. Normally I would get tired of hearing the same songs and artists over and over. But not with Kelsea. 
Every single day I find a new reason to love her and her music.

Kelsea is the girl with the big voice, the amazing songwriting skills, the fun personality, the sweet soul and the kind heart. She has the whole package and I adore everything about her. [Side note: I totally envy her shoe collection.]

Kelsea is headed down the road to fame. No really, watch out Carrie and Miranda, there is a new girl blowing up her radio tour. I cannot wait to see this amazing girl perform on the CMA’s, headline her own tour, and win a Grammy. I’d be willing to bet anything she accomplishes all three of these things faster than anyone could imagine.  

At times we fit into lyrics more than we fit into life.

I HAVE NEVER BEEN MORE EXCITED TO INTRODUCE SOMEONE TO Y'ALL..

MEET MY FRIEND KELSEA

Full Name:

Kelsea Nicole Ballerini

Age: 
20

 Hometown/currently live:

Knoxville/Nashville

What made you want to start writing songs? 

I grew up really loving storytelling and journaling, and eventually that mixed with my love of music and turned into writing songs. I was 13 and needed an outlet to vent about how awkward being a 13 year old is, and songwriting just happened to become that outlet for me.

Do you play any instruments? Did you teach yourself?

I can fake it pretty well on guitar.  I’m no Keith Urban or Josh Kerr, but I can carry my own if I need to. Plus, I love writing songs by myself so being able to play a little helps. 

Who are your biggest musical inspirations?

Kelly Clarkson, Shania Twain, Beyonce, Gavin DeGraw. Anything with a good groove and catchy lyrics.

Where do you get inspiration to write your songs?

Life, love, or lack thereof. Haha. It’s hard for me to write about things that I haven’t experienced. I just believe if I am going to put music out there and share it with people, it should be honest and real. 

Favorite songs you have written/co-written?

That’s a hard one. I would say it’s a tie between my single “Love Me Like You Mean It” and “The First Time”. Two totally different songs, but both are special to me for different reasons. And both we have officially cut for the album!

What moment in your music career is your favorite so far?
Hearing “Love Me Like You Mean It” on the radio! That was such a ‘holy cow is this real life’ moment. And it’s amazing to be able to share those kind of moments with my co-writers and close friends Josh Kerr, Forest Glen Whitehead, and Lance Carpenter. 

Finish this sentence…if I could write a song for or with anyone I would choose______.

For: Kelly Clarkson  With: Hillary Lindsay

Where do you see yourself in a year?     

Hopefully i’ll have a record out and will be traveling around the country sharing my songs and meeting people!

Five years: 
Same thing! Maybe get hitched. Maybe get a cool apartment in Nashville. Who knows! 

If I wasn't a songwriter I would be…

Either a veterinarian or a makeup artist. But I can’t emotionally handle blood or sad things, so most likely a makeup artist. 

I'm afraid of ______.

SPIDERS, dolls, haunted houses, storms. Kind of everything. I’m a child.

I never get tired of_______.

music. and shoes. 

Okay, I always ask people to tell me one thing about themselves that is random or strange that most people don't know! 

I danced for 10 years! Ballet, Jazz, Hip Hop. And then when I was 13 I grew like 6 inches in one year and got really long and awkward and lost all of my coordination. Watching me dance now is just an unfortunate situation for everyone involved. 

HEAD OVER AND PURCHASE KELSEA BALLERINI'S NEW SINGLE  LOVE ME LIKE YOU MEAN IT ON ITUNES https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/love-me-like-you-mean-it-single/id892763915
PLUS CHECK OUT A FEW OF MY FAVORITE KELSEA SONGS: DIBS YEAH BOY THE FIRST TIME PETER PAN

[DON'T FORGET TO FOLLOW KELSEA FOR UPDATES] TWITTER: https://twitter.com/KelseaBallerini FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/kelseaballerini INSTAGRAM: http://instagram.com/kelseaballerini WEBSITE: http://www.kelseaballerini.com

I would like to thank Kelsea for taking the time out of her busy radio-tour schedule to work with me. I am so excited to see her career finally starting to take off. I cannot wait to see her perform REALLY SOON! She, along with everyone else who knows me, should expect me in the very front row singing along to every song. And maybe we will even awkward dance together.  Love you Kels…oh and I mean it. 

ARTIST INTERVIEW: JOSH KERR

I've always admired someone who can sing. But the more I listened to great music and traveled to Nashville the more I realized there was so much more to music than the artist who sang the songs. Then, I met Josh Kerr. He made me realize who I admire most in the music industry. Songwriters. 

It's one thing to have an amazing voice but it's something totally different to be able to put words on paper and with music. Josh Kerr can do both. 

Most everyone who is familiar with my blog or follows me on Twitter knows I'm always listening to his Soundcloud page and sharing his lyrics. The thing I look for when I'm listening to a song is that it is relatable. I've not heard a single song by Josh that I didn't relate to. And because of that, I will be a fan of his music forever. 

Because behind every favorite song, there is an untold story.

SO WITHOUT FURTHER INTRODUCTION, 
MEET MY FRIEND JOSH KERR

Full Name:   
Joshua Peter Kerr

Age:   
22
  
Hometown/currently live: 
   Hamburg, NY/Nashville, TN
  
What made you want to start writing songs?  
Music has always been a big part of my life. Writing songs became a creative outlet for me when I was about 16 years old. It wasn't until I was 18 that I found out you can write songs for a living. That changed my life.
  
Do you play any instruments?   
Guitar is my main instrument of choice these days, but I dabble in bass and piano from time to time. Little known fact: I actually went to college on a trumpet scholarship.
  
Did you teach yourself?  
Yes and no. My dad taught me how to play the bass and beginner chords on the guitar. From there I learned off of YouTube until college when I had my first lesson!
  
Who are your biggest musical inspirations?   
JOHN MAYER, Bruno Mars, Dave Barnes, Sam Hunt, anything with cool phrasing and a great groove. I'm really into the band MAGIC! right now.  

Where do you get inspiration to write your songs?   
95% of the time its from my personal life. It's just easier to write songs when you've actually gone through the situation. The best songs are real and honest.

Favorite songs you have written/co-written?  
Definitely gotta say Kelsea Ballerini's current single "Love Me Like You Mean It." Forest, Lance and Kelsea are some of the most talented writers in town. "Got You Girl" that I wrote with two of my best friends, Kelsea and Ryan Griffin. I'm also a big fan of "Lay It On Me" that I wrote with Dylan Scott. 

What moment in your music career is your favorite so far?  
Three days ago I got to watch Kelsea hear her single on the radio for the first time. Watching her reaction was priceless. It was almost unreal to hear a song on the radio that I wrote. That's every songwriter's dream.
[https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=916032621745303] 


Finish this sentence…if I could write a song for or with anyone I would choose______.  
  Ryan Tedder, hands down.

Where do you see yourself in a year?  
Writing songs and playing guitar on a major tour with Kelsea. Hopefully also accepting a Number 1 award for Love Me ;).        

5 years?   
Married and doing exactly what I'm doing now.

If I wasn't a songwriter I would be____
an elementary special ed teacher.

Okay, I always ask people to tell me one thing about themselves that is random or strange that most people don't know!   
I played lacrosse for 14 years and always dreamed of being a professional athlete. Then I stopped growing when I reached 5'7'' so it was time to reconsider my dreams.

Check Out A Few Of My Favorite Josh Kerr Songs:
[MORE ON SOUNCLOUD HERE]
[DON'T FORGET TO FOLLOW JOSH FOR UPDATES AND NEW MUSIC]
TWITTER: https://twitter.com/joshkerrmusic FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/joshkerrmusic INSTAGRAM: http://instagram.com/joshkerrmusic WEBSITE: http://www.joshkerrmusic.com SOUNDCLOUD: https://soundcloud.com/josh-kerr-4




AND HEAD OVER AND PURCHASE KELSEA BALLERINI'S NEW SINGLE  LOVE ME LIKE YOU MEAN IT ON ITUNES https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/love-me-like-you-mean-it-single/id892763915 [CO-WRITTEN BY JOSH KERR]

I WOULD LIKE TO THANK JOSH KERR FOR TAKING THE TIME TO WORK WITH ME. I AM ALWAYS TELLING PEOPLE ABOUT HIM AND SHARING HIS MUSIC WITH MY CLOSE FRIENDS. BUT NOW, I'M HAPPY I CAN FINALLY SHARE IT WITH ALL MY BLOG FOLLOWERS. IF YOU ARE A FAN, STICK AROUND. HE'LL ALWAYS HAVE A SPOT ON MY BLOG. 

What I'm Listening To Wednesday: Love Me Like You Mean It

{LOVE ME LIKE YOU MEAN IT}

Kelsea Ballerini

{LYRICS}

Oh hey, boy with your hat back

Mmm, I kinda like that.

If you wanna walk my way.

I'mma shoot ya straight up.

Show me what you're made of.

I don't have time to waste on the boys that are playin' the games

Leavin' the girls cryin' out in the rain.

So tell me baby…

do you got what it takes?

{CHORUS}

If you're gonna hold me, hold me like I'm leavin'

If you're gonna kiss me, kiss me like you need it.

Baby if you're not you best get to leavin'

If you're gonna love me, love me like you mean it.

If you're gonna talk the talk you better walk it.

If you wanna keep me, keep me like you lost it.

If you're gonna say it, make me believe it.

If you're gonna love me boy, love me like you mean it. 

Oh hey, I've had my share of losers.

Liars and users looking for a heart to break.

So, if your like that, 

Well take a step back

Cause, I don't have time to waste on the boys 

that are playin' the games

Leavin' the girls cryin' out in the rain.

So tell me baby…

are you just crazy? Or crazy over me?

{CHORUS} X2

If you're gonna hold me, hold me like I'm leavin'

If you're gonna kiss me, kiss me like you need it.

Baby if you're not you best get to leavin'

If you're gonna love me, love me like you mean it.

If you're gonna talk the talk you better walk it.

If you wanna keep me, keep me like you lost it.

If your gonna say it, make me believe it.

If you're gonna love me boy, love me like you mean it. 

{CONNECT WITH KELSEA BALLERINI}

TWITTER

FACEBOOK

INSTAGRAM

SOUNDCLOUD

 SPECIAL THANKS TO KELSEA FOR BEING SO SUPER TALENTED AND STAYING SWEET THROUGH EVERYTHING! THIS GIRL HAS A VERY BRIGHT FUTURE AND I'M GLAD I CAN SAY I'VE BEEN A FAN FROM THE BEGINNING! 

CHECK HER OUT ON SOUNDCLOUD AND LET US KNOW YOUR FAVORITE SONG! I'M SURE YOU'LL SEE HER AGAIN ON MY BLOG SOON!