Review: Kelsea Ballerini wows as country’s next big arena star

To deliver her range of emotions from flirtations to divorce to new love, Ballerini offered a heavy helping of “Patterns,” her fifth album that was released in October.

Sitting atop a pile of —what else? — luggage, she kicked off the show with the title track, moved into “Baggage” and then “Love Me Like You Mean It,” her 2014 debut single (and the first debut single by a female country artist to go to No. 1 since Carrie Underwood’s “Jesus, Take the Wheel” in 2006).

The show was divided into three definable sections that could be described as “this girl just wants to have fun,” “I can’t take it anymore,” and “this is how I really feel.”

There was ample sass, energy and conviction as Ballerini twirled, strutted and even danced with a chair, bolstered by confetti, lasers, flame throwers, artful lighting, five flashy outfits and smart visuals (including colorful lyrics on a giant video screen and a merry-go-round spinning on an LED screen).

Her songs weren’t as consistently impressive as her personality and production. “Cowboys Cry Too,” her current single, was as dense and over-orchestrated as the rocker “Wait!” was overwrought. It’s not that Ballerini can’t rock, which she did on the Underwood-like “Miss Me More” and swampy, bluegrass workout “If I’m Goin’ Down (You’re Goin’ Down Too).” But she’s more of a ballad singer, as evidenced on “Peter Pan” with its a cappella opening, and “Two Things,” which found the energetic singer sitting on steps.

Ballerini was at her best when she got into her most deeply personal and penetrating songs, especially those drawn from 2023′s “Roll Up the Welcome Mat.” They were inspired by her very public divorce from Aussie country singer Morgan Evans.