Kelsea Ballerini Cries Thanking Fans for ‘Mount Pleasant’ Reaction

Kelsea Ballerini just hard-launched her latest era.

On Monday, Nov. 17, the country star performed two intimate sets at her “The Mount Pleasant Experience” pop-up activation, where she played her new EP Mount Pleasant live for the first time.

With decor inspired by her contemplative new single “I Sit in Parks,” the event took place in a Nashville production studio that was transformed into a lush faux parkland, down to the artificial turf, swing sets, benches and lamp posts (complete with burning incense). Fans also got a look at the behind-the-scenes making of the record at the event, which had a photo booth and displayed her looks from this era’s music videos.

During her set, Ballerini played all five songs from Mount Pleasant; in between each performance, she addressed the crowd, opening up about the writing process or inspirations for each track.

While discussing standout track “Emerald City,” Ballerini, 32, pointedly told the crowd, “I write songs to relate to, not to make a point on the internet.” (Earlier in the day, Ballerini’s ex, Chase Stokes, went after fans in her TikTok comments, telling them to “grow up” for their “f—ing weird” speculation that “Emerald City” is about his Outer Banks costar and ex Madelyn Cline.)

After wrapping the evening with her new mental health ode “Check on Your Friends,” Ballerini grew emotional, breaking down in tears as she thanked her fans for supporting Mount Pleasant and for standing by her throughout her career.

“Thanks for embracing the not-so-glittery parts of me over the last few years,” she said. “I know that I’m the luckiest to be able to have all these very big feelings and be like, ‘I need to put it in music or I will combust.’”

Ballerini also thanked her label, management team and creative agency for helping bring her projects to life. 

“To have a team and a label that has allowed me to do that over the years, whenever it feels right … I just want to say that the biggest thank you to the trust fall that it’s been consistently back and forth with Black River and Sandbox and CAA and, and everyone that’s here that’s been a part of this that just allows me to just do this — good, bad, ugly, red, green, and happy and sad.”

Ballerini released Mount Pleasant — which follows her acclaimed 2024 album Patterns — on Friday, Nov. 14.

Up next: performing at the 2025 CMA Awards in Nashville, where she is once again nominated for Female Vocalist of the Year.