Kelsea Ballerini released a new song today she’s been teasing on social media called “Homecoming Queen” and fans are loving the realness of it.
Kelsea says,"It's a metaphor for somebody that seemingly has it all together and polished from the outside looking in."
It’s the first single from Kelsea’s album that’ll be out sometime next year – she said that album will have more sad, heartbreaking songs and will really look into relationships from her past and why they didn’t work out.
I love the raw emotion you can hear in Kelsea’s voice as the guitar strums. It really just sends a message to all woman, young or old, that you don’t have to try and put on a fake smile or look perfect all the time. It’s okay to be yourself, show emotion, and be real.
One of the lyrics is “not everything pretty sparkles and shines” and in the video Kelsea Ballerini actually breaks down crying at the end. It’s very powerful.
The "Opry Salute to Ray Charles" aired last night on PBS. Darius Rucker was the host, and performers included Brett Eldredge, Chris Young, Cam, Ronnie Milsap, Boyz II Men, Travis Tritt, LeAnn Rimes, and Trisha Yearwood.
"Billboard" posted a great clip of Chris Young singing Ray's signature song, "I Can't Stop Loving You" it starts at :43.
Speaking of Darius he'll be the mentor for Team Blake on The Voice for the battle rounds for the upcoming season. Blake says, "He's the perfect choice as a mentor on The Voice for obvious reasons, I made a joke earlier to one of the artists on the show, I go, 'You know Darius literally has proven that if he decides whatever it is he wants to do in life, he conquers it.'"
Darius says he watches the show religiously with his family and they like how Blake is always honest and always has something cool to say.
The show returns for it’s 17th season on the 23rd with some major changes. Adam Levine will not be returning, Gwen Stefani will be back along with Kelly Clarkson and John Legend as the other coaches.
And we send our thoughts and prayers out to the family and friends of Texas country singer Kylie Ray Harris who died in a three-car crash Wednesday night in northern New Mexico. She was on the way to perform at the Big Barn Dance Music Festival in Taos, New Mexico.
Although this doesn't seem to be related, Kylie sent out a haunting Tweet earlier that day. She wrote, "Fuel range is 46 miles, and I'm 36 [miles] from the nearest gas station. Dear baby Jesus, please don't let me get stranded in New Mexico."
She's survived by her six-year-old daughter Corbie. A GoFundMe page has been created to help cover some of the funeral costs . . . and to set up a college fund for Corbie.
Her publicist issued a statement saying, "Everyone that knew her knew how much she loved her family and [her] music. The best tribute to her enthusiasm for both is to spread as much love as you can today, and listen to music that fully inspires you."
If you want to learn more about Kylie's life and music, People.com has a pretty thorough write-up. It includes her final song, "Twenty Years From Now", which is a dedication to her daughter. You'll need a box of Kleenex.
Several country stars have offered up tributes, including Maren Morris, Pat Green, Josh Abbott, and Randy Rogers.
Maren Morris and Kylie Rae Harris go way back. Upon learning of the 30-year-old Texas singer's death, the "Girl" singer turned to Instagram to share her grief and send well-wishes to the family.
Both Morris and Harris are both from northeastern Texas, and they crossed paths at festivals many years ago. The 29-year-old singer of "The Bones" remembered the "Twenty Years From Now" singer as sweet and supportive.
"Your soulful voice and Texas beauty was always jaw-dropping, even when we were teenagers at the Larry Joe Taylor festival," Morris shared with a photo of Harris on Instagram stories yesterday. "Thinking of your family and your precious baby girl right now. Rest in peace."
Josh Abbott also shared a photo of himself and Kylie speaking of how he will always remember the fun they had. You can see several country artists tributes and condolences in the comments, so heartbreaking.