Kelsea Ballerini became emotional during one of her recent concerts. On Tuesday (Oct. 11), the 29-year-old songstress treated fans to her set list at The Eastern in Atlanta, Georgia, as part of her 10-date Heartfirst tour.
While performing her introspective ballad, “What I Have,” the Knoxville, Tennessee native nearly broke down in tears as fans held up posters with the words, “You have us,” spread across the front. Ballerini, who dazzled in a cropped denim jacket adorned with studs and a pair of loose jeans to match, was immediately caught off guard when her legion of Legends simultaneously showed off their signs.
Ballerini’s jaw dropped, and it became clear the gesture touched her heart. She paused the performance to interact with the crowd.
“Not this! Not this,” Ballerini said in a subtly joking manner, showing off her aw-shucks persona.
“I swear, I wasn’t going to cry today. Will you help me?” She asked the concertgoers, resuming strumming on her guitar and letting fans take over the chorus.
“’Cause I got a roof over my head / I got a warm body in bed / I’m doing alright right where I’m at / With what I have,” the audience sang as Ballerini pursed her lips together to avoid breaking down into tears.
Afterward, Ballerini paused and said the word “shoot” as an indication that she couldn’t avoid tearing up. But she did manage to get through the entirety of her performance, singing the rest of the lyrics to a capacity room of people who support her.
“Surprised @Kelsea Ballerini in Atlanta with the sweetest signs! We just love her. 🥹🫶 #kelseaballeriniconcert #kelseaballerini #subjecttochange #heartfirst #heartfirsttour #kelseaballerinifans,” a caption reads below a video showing a snippet from Ballerini’s recent ‘What I Have’ performance.
@samidianne07 surprised @Kelsea Ballerini in Atlanta with the sweetest signs! We just love her. 🥹🫶 #kelseaballeriniconcert #kelseaballerini #subjecttochange #heartfirst #heartfirsttour #kelseaballerinifans
“What I Have,” written with Alyssa Vanderheym and Cary Barlowe, appears on Ballerini’s newest album, Subject to Change. The song, as with the album, reflects the changes that Ballerini went through in her 20s as she finds herself navigating through healing waters. Some of those changes include her recently announced divorce from Morgan Evans.
In August, Ballerini and Evans revealed the news of their separation after five years of marriage.
“Friends, I’ve always tried my best to share my life with you in a real and vulnerable way, while also protecting layers of my personal life as they unfold,” Ballerini stated in one of her Instagram Stories, at the time. “This is now public record, so I wanted you to hear from me directly that I am going through a divorce. This deeply difficult decision is the result of a journey of love, growth, and effort that ultimately has come to an end. It’s hard to find the words here…but I feel extremely grateful for the years of marriage to Morgan and hopeful for the next seasons. With very active schedules coming up, please be mindful that we are both fragile. Actively healing and showing up the best we can.”
Ballerini has continued to remain candid about the details of her life. And that has poured into her live shows. At a recent tour stop, she abruptly swapped out the lyrics of “What I Have” to reflect her current status. The star changed “I got a warm body in bed” to “I got my own body in bed” – a nod to her split with Evans.
A clip from that performance was captured by a fan, who then posted the moment to Twitter.
Kelsea Ballerini changing the lyrics in WHAT I HAVE from “I got a warm body in bed” to “I got my own body in bed” in the wake of her divorce.
Also, she was so incredible tonight. Go see her on tour if you can❤️#SubjectToChange #HeartfirstTour pic.twitter.com/bjnykqYf9Y
— Rachael Ellenbogen (@TheRachaelE) September 25, 2022
Ballerini’s Heartfirst tour, which features special guest Georgia Webster, launched on Sept. 24 at the historic Radio City Music Hall in New York City. The latest stop on the fall trek is one of her last. The 10-city run is scheduled to wrap on Friday Oct. 14, at Foxwoods Resort Casino in Mashantucket, CT.
