Kelsea Ballerini is already eager to take her turn as a coach on The Voice next year. The 30-year-old was announced as part of the lineup for Season 27, along with Adam Levine, who was part of the show for the first 16 seasons, plus John Legend and Michael Bublé, who will mark his first season as a coach this fall, for Season 26.
The Grammy-nominated singer can’t wait to take her turn in the red swivel chair.
“I’m so excited,” Ballerini gushes to People. “I’m excited because it’s just such a new adventure. I’ve gotten to be on set in different capacities over the years, but to really assume that role as a coach — it’s really going to stretch me and it’s going to be a new opportunity.”
Ballerini, who is working on a new album after the unexpected success of Rolling Up The Welcome Mat, finds it especially interesting to be joining The Voice at this point in her career.
“I’ve learned so much, but I’m still actively learning and I still have so many goals and stages that I want to get to,” Ballerini says. “It’s a really interesting place to be in — to be able to be a coach and be like, ‘Hey, I’m still learning alongside you, so I can pour into you what I know. But I am still figuring it out too.’ I really feel like I want to just be the sister moreso than the coach.”
Ballerini has already been talking to former coach, Blake Shelton, about how to win, especially against one of his good friends.
“I feel very strongly I’m going to have to really fight Adam Levine,” Ballerini quips. “I know it’s a big deal that he’s coming back but yeah — I feel like we’re going to be frenemies. Just kidding. However, I’ve gotten some pep talks from Blake about how to take him down!”
Ballerini, who says a new single is coming soon, is putting the finishing touches on her next record, buoyed by the unexpected reception she received with her vulnerable and honest Rolling Up The Welcome Mat EP.
“I took the truth-telling and the integrity of my songwriting and I just moved it into this chapter of life,” Ballerini hints. “It’s being 30 and being in a relationship and being a friend and being a daughter, and feeling like an adult but also still feeling like a kid — all of those nuances and really writing about it from that same place of honesty. And now I feel like I’m ready to follow it up.”
McEntire won in Season 25 with her contestant, Asher HaVon. McEntire will return for Season 26 this fall, along with Bublé, Gwen Stefani and Snoop Dogg. A premiere date for Season 26 has yet to be announced.
Ballerini previously served as Battle Advisor in Season 16, plus filled in as a coach in Season 20, both for Kelly Clarkson. Find all of Ballerini’s music and upcoming shows at KelseaBallerini.com.