While my classmates were out on dates with their loved ones, I was spending my Valentine’s Day elsewhere. While walking around the lobby outside Mohegan Sun Arena, I saw glimpses of glitter, pink, and denim. Cowboy hats and bows decorated the heads of fans excitedly chatting, eager to enter the venue and find their seats for the night. All 10K music enthusiasts were about to spend this day of love together, coming together to see Kelsea Ballerini perform for the “Kelsea Ballerini LIVE ON TOUR.” Ballerini’s fifth album, PATTERNS, was released on Oct. 25, 2024, and debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart and No. 4 on the Billboard 200. Whether fans were at the show with their significant others or with their friends after a breakup, they were excited to hear the songs from PATTERNS and Ballerini’s other albums. I am grateful to have had the opportunity to see Kelsea Ballerini, along with her openers Ashe and MaRynn Taylor, during her show on Feb. 14, 2025, at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, CT. By the end of the show, I didn’t feel like I missed out on much from the holiday because I instead felt at home among passionate fans sharing their love.
The Fan Upgrade
Before any artists arrived on stage, I spent my time scanning the upper sections of seats. Her Campus UConn was selected to have two of our members (including myself) attend the show and make the concert a once-in-a-lifetime experience for two other fans through a seat upgrade. While we sat, we discussed what section we wanted to choose fans from. After determining the section, we briskly walked around the arena and found ourselves in the nosebleeds, peering down at the stage and our seats. Up there, we discovered two fans who we noticed had arrived early and were excited for all of the artists, being fully dressed up in sparkles and cowgirl attire. After convincing them that we were in fact not tricking them, the four of us walked down to our seats by the stage for the show. The two fans remained in shock once we sat down, realizing that they were about to see their favorite artist up close. Later, we all got to meet MaRynn Taylor, and both of the upgraded fans recognized just how kind this artist is (which I had realized when I interviewed her before the show). While many people focus on how Valentine’s Day celebrates the love of couples, not everyone recognizes the importance of sharing love with friends or even strangers. Having the opportunity to share the love of Kelsea Ballerini, MaRynn Taylor, their teams, and Her Campus UConn with two fans is so heartwarming.
MaRynn Taylor
The night began with MaRynn Taylor stepping out onto the stage, wearing a shimmery top and denim jeans to fit the country glam aesthetic of the evening. She began her set with “Make You Mine,” amazing the crowd with her impressive vocals. Continuing, she sang songs from her EP Get To Know Me as well as other singles from her wide range of music. Taylor introduced some songs by telling the story of how she wrote them, such as “Season 2 of Friends” and her newest single “same girl same.” While not every fan knew Taylor’s songs at the start of the show, they found themselves singing along to her covers of tunes that they did know, like “Since U Been Gone” by Kelly Clarkson and “Fast Car” by Tracy Chapman. Taylor’s contagious energy spread throughout the crowd as she twirls around and plays her guitar. As MaRynn Taylor’s set came to a close, she encouraged the excited fans to meet her before Ballerini’s set, which many fans did, and she departed the stage so the next opener could perform.
Ashe
Although the next opener had just recently begun her time on tour with Ballerini a few days before Valentine’s Day, Ashe is already a natural at performing for the growing audience. Starting off with her song “omw,” Ashe strolled onto the stage in a floor-length pink dress. To the surprise of anyone who didn’t know this artist, she wore no shoes, staying grounded in the moment while also feeling the electricity of the stage and show. As Ashe prepares for her upcoming “The Trilogy Tour,” she performed songs from all three albums. Fans were particularly excited to hear her sing “Till Forever Falls Apart” from Ashlyn, “Another Man’s Jeans” from Rae, and “Running Out Of Time” from her most recent album Willson. Ashe strutted down the catwalk to cover songs like “Love Story” by Taylor Swift” and “Unwritten” by Natasha Bedingfield, engaging with the audience members throughout the arena. While I have seen Ashe twice in the past before her break from music, she appeared so comfortable and truly excited to be back on stage, even showing her appreciation for the crowd for welcoming her. Ending her set with her hit song “Moral Of The Story,” Ashe left the fans electrified and ready for the rest of the night.
Kelsea Ballerini Spends Valentine’s Day With Us
The random chatting of fans throughout the arena briskly tuned into singing as Shania Twain’s “Man! I Feel Like a Woman!” began playing, signaling that Kelsea Ballerini was about to come onto the stage next. The audience erupted into cheers as colorful visuals flashed across the screens. Ballerini rose on stage with a spotlight on her, as she started her set with “Patterns,” the title track from her album PATTERNS. The many lights around the stage flashed, reflecting off her disco ball-like dress and the starstruck fans’ outfits. Next, Ballerini strutted onto the catwalk with her guitar, performing “Baggage” as fans held onto their friends, family, and loved ones to sing along to the lyrics “I wouldn’t want to do it with anybody else.”
Songs For The Lovers and The Heartbroken
No matter what the crowd is experiencing or feeling, they are sure to find themselves relating to at least one song that Ballerini sings. With some of the crowd members bringing along their lovers, songs like “How Much Do You Love Me” (the surprise song) and “HEARTFIRST” move the audience. Fans who are going through a breakup or other pain in life find themselves belting out the lyrics to “Miss Me More” and “Blindsided.” Kelsea Ballerini even brought her band and backup singers onto the catwalk for songs such as her mashup of “I Would, Would You” and “Lean On Me” by Bill Withers, encouraging the crowd to live in the moment with their friends joining them at the show. With every new emotion came new stage props, outfits (including heart-shaped sunglasses), and songs to sing to, but one thing persisted: the passion and comforting energy of the fans.
Taking Care Of Each Other
Ashe, who had opened for Ballerini, has a motto that her fans are quite familiar with: “TCOE,” meaning “take care of each other.” Kelsea Ballerini spent segments of the show stressing the importance of fans caring for each other, as she also takes charge of ensuring that the audience is safe and healthy. With some of the crowd having to leave due to the heat of the arena and other medical concerns, Ballerini prevented panic by casually changing her in-ear monitors, writing tattoos for a fan, and taking a shot with another fan. With such a large audience, Kelsea Ballerini is diligent in caring for her fans and checking in on them to make the concert a fun, safe experience for everyone.
Closing Out The Show
As she finished singing “How Do I Do This,” Kelsea Ballerini quickly shouted that she’d return. Fans instantly began to shout and cheer, hoping for a finale to hear one last song. They are not disappointed, as Ballerini rises in a fog of smoke onto the stage. Wearing a long black jacket adorned with gems, Ballerini put all of her energy into performing “Penthouse,” a song that many of her fans may relate to. Switching up the lyrics for its most iconic line to show the artist’s progress healing, the whole arena morphed into a chorus of people singing, “I kissed someone new last night, and now I don’t care where you’re sleeping, baby.” Fans were moved to tears, applauding enthusiastically as Kelsea Ballerini thanked the audience, sent them kisses and waves, and vanished as the lights turned back on. People throughout the crowd hugged each other, threw confetti from the floor in the air for photos, and took last-minute selfies in front of the stage before heading home.
Kelsea Ballerini brings together pop and country music enthusiasts through her wide range of songs, and her tour performances show just how much energy and passion goes into giving her fans a night to remember. Whether you have never heard of her before or you have followed her throughout her journey, seeing Ballerini on tour and experiencing her music live is sure to leave you amazed and with a sense of comfort. Spending Valentine’s Day at her show was something that I never expected this time last year, but it is an experience that will stick with me throughout the year and my life. Make sure to listen to Kelsea Ballerini’s discography, see her on tour if you can, and get ready to discover your next favorite artist!
