"I started writing songs by myself that always came from whatever I was feeling and being honest about that because I never had any intention of anyone ever hearing them." 

• Born Kelsea Nicole Ballerini on Sept. 12, 1993, in Mascot, Tennessee

• Kelsea Ballerini became the first solo female country music artist to score a No. 1 hit with her debut single since Carrie Underwood when "Love Me Like You Mean It" topped the country chart in July 2015. She followed with two additional No. 1 hits, "Dibs" and "Peter Pan."

• Ballerini was nominated for Best New Artist at the 59th GRAMMY Awards.  She appeared on the telecast that same year with Lukas Graham, singing "Peter Pan" as part of a mash-up including the latter's "7 Years."

• Did you know? Ballerini became only the fifth solo female country music artists to score back-to-back No. 1 singles when "Dibs" and then "Peter Pan" reached the top of Billboard's Country Airplay chart.

• Ballerini made a special appearance at the 2016 Recording Academy Nashville Chapter's Block Party where she took part in a discussion with fellow GRAMMY nominee, songwriter Dave Barnes, and performed a set.

• Ballerini performed a pop-up show at Nashville's famed Bluebird Cafe in 2016 for Music Makes Us, a local organization dedicated to strengthening music education around the nation.