Kelsea Ballerini Praises Noah Kahan's Vulnerability on 'Cowboys Cry Too'

The country star sat down with Kelleigh Bannen on Today’s Country Radio on Apple Music Country to discuss the release of her new song with Noah Kahan, ‘Cowboys Cry Too,' and her forthcoming album.  Ballerini expressed that she believed ‘Cowboys Cry Too’ would be "more impactful" if there was a male counterpart who could "rip open his chest and bare his soul and tell his side of that story."

The ‘Stick Season’ singer seemed to be the perfect fit to do so. "I'm such a fan of Noah, that whole record," she said. "He is so willing to just be so open and vulnerable." The 'Penthouse' performer continued: "And so I texted it to him and he was like, 'I love writing about this concept of men being vulnerable and not being scared to go there. And can I just have a couple of weeks on the road to work on a verse?' And I was like, 'Absolutely.'"

Also Read: Kelsea Ballerini And Noah Kahan Mesmerize at 2024 ACM Awards With ‘Stick Season’ Duet

A week before the ACMs, where the pair performed a duet of ‘Stick Season’ together, they got into the studio. "I was so grateful because he didn't round any edges," Ballerini said of working with Kahan. "He was like, 'Here's my story, here's my perspective.' And I was just like chill bumps on chill bumps. I was so grateful."

The ‘Mountain with a View’ musician also discussed her not-yet-announced new album, which she says is "done." She described it as a thematic record reflecting her current stage in life. "And I am really proud of that because I really wanted to take the sentiment that I learned through Welcome Mat to stop rounding the edges. 

The more specific, somehow the more universal." The themes of the new project include growth and self-reflection, new love, and evolving relationships with her parents. "I write about those things in the most filterless way that I could have," Ballerini said. "And I learned that from the last record."

-Sushmita Sarkar