As a fan, I connect with realness. Whether it's strong or vulnerable, if it's real, I can connect with it. Kelsea Ballerini More Quotes by Kelsea Ballerini More Quotes From Kelsea Ballerini My favorite advice that I always go to is ever since I was in middle school is from my mom. Every day before I left the house, she would say "Remember who you are." Every day. So when I started getting into music, every day she sends me a text saying, "Remember who you are and remember why you're doing this." Kelsea Ballerini mom house school The fun thing about song writing is that it's just creative. It can be whatever you want it to be. For me, I'm really protective of that. I'm not going to write something because I feel like it fits here or it fits there - I just want to write music that feels good to me. Kelsea Ballerini writing song fun When I went to my first CMA Fest, I wanted to be an artist, but I was such a fan girl - I still am - and the two people I waited in line to meet were Taylor Swift and Lady Antebellum. Taylor, I haven't gotten to sit and talk with her as much as I hope I get to one day, but even with her just supporting me on her social media has been incredible. Kelsea Ballerini media girl artist Blake Lively is my style icon, and she always has rocking clothes and shoes. She keeps it really simple with hair and makeup, and I try to do the same thing. Kelsea Ballerini makeup simple hair I think that I've just kind of found my niche, if that makes sense. I still write the same, but I feel like I've found what separates me and I always try to stay in that when I write. It took me a long time to discover that, so I try to be protective. Kelsea Ballerini writing long thinking I feel like I'm still discovering my stage style, but I love - well, I'm not a huge color person onstage, but I am in real life. Kelsea Ballerini style color real It started last weekend actually. I do that through September and then I do a headline tour. I’m going to try that out for the first time later this year. Should be fun! Kelsea Ballerini entertainment Now, if you’re going to sing the response I get to sing mine too. Kelsea Ballerini entertainment I think that every time a country artist steps outside of the country boundary, it just brings more ears to us, when Florida Georgia Line and Nelly put out the 'Cruise' remix, it brought so many more people to country music. Plus, I love pop music so anytime I get to collaborate I like to. Kelsea Ballerini entertainment Always wash your face before you go to bed - skin care is key. Kelsea Ballerini skin face you care I get to remind myself and other people to be yourself, to rock you who you are, and don't worry about if it fits. Kelsea Ballerini be-yourself yourself myself you On stage, you can get away with more, so I definitely use that to my advantage and go bolder with fashion, hair, and makeup. I love a smoky eye and long lashes. Kelsea Ballerini you fashion love long Growing up in east Tennessee gave me my country roots, my twang, and a lot of my stories. Kelsea Ballerini me growing-up roots country It's really humbling to be acknowledged by such established names like CMT and Billboard. Kelsea Ballerini established really like names Music videos, to me, are like an extension of a song. Kelsea Ballerini like me music song There's a YouTube video of these two kittens that just fall over and pass out. My blood sugar's crazy, so I would pass out sometimes, like the fainting kittens. Kelsea Ballerini crazy sometimes blood fall I've always been a big, bold thinker and a dreamer. Kelsea Ballerini bold big always dreamer The greatest gift I've been given is being naive, because I don't know what I can't do. And when you don't know what you can't do, you think you can do everything. Kelsea Ballerini greatest-gift gift think you You really do have to be different. You really do have to set yourself apart. Kelsea Ballerini be-different yourself you different I've always been drawn to the message of 'Be yourself. Love yourself.' I need to be reminded of that all time. Kelsea Ballerini be-yourself yourself time love