Kelsea Ballerini has just opened up about the impact Taylor Swift has had in her life and on her career to date, naming the latter her “North Star”.
The 31-year-old country-pop sensation has always looked up to Taylor, whom she credits for guiding her in a world where few young female singer-songwriters existed in country music.
One of the most defining moments in the infancy of her career, according to the singer herself, was when a music executive came up to her and said something along the lines of, “Well, there’s already a Taylor Swift.” Harsh as that may sound, Kelsea says it wasn’t exactly untrue. At the time, Taylor was the face of country-pop and the only female to really break waves in that sphere. This was some sort of turning point for Kelsea. She knew she needed to find her voice.
“I had to grow into my own identity as an artist and a songwriter,” Kelsea reflected. “I had to learn to differentiate myself.” Despite being expected to walk in Taylor’s footsteps, Kelsea went her own way while still finding inspiration from Taylor.
Kelsea and Taylor’s friendship kicked off after Taylor publicly praised Kelsea’s breakout hit “Love Me Like You Mean It.” In fact, the two performed the song together on Taylor’s 1989 World Tour in Nashville back in 2015.
As Kelsea once said to NBC’s Sunday Today With Willie Geist, the best advice Taylor ever gave her was, “She was like, ‘You have to become undeniable. Whatever that means to you, whatever that looks like for you. Then no one can tell you no, because what is no? You just, you pivot’.” Those words have been etched in Kelsea’s mind and defined the way she faces her career and artistry.
Through it all, Taylor remained a guiding light in Kelsea’s life, and though she’s worked hard to carve out her own identity, it seems the bond between these two stars is completely unbreakable. Even now that Kelsea has built a very successful career, Taylor is still her “North Star” to whom she looks for guidance and inspiration.
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