Kelsea Ballerini 'Rolling Up the Welcome Mat (For Good)' EP Review

Kelsea Ballerini dropped a major surprise earlier this year. After going through a public divorce, the country singer-songwriter dropped a project on Valentine's Day titled Rolling Up the Welcome Mat. The six-track project was accompanied by a short film of the same name that Ballerini directed and wrote herself. Despite its short runtime (it clocks in to be just over 15 minutes), the small but mighty collection catapulted Ballerini into new heights with her music gaining more traction than ever on social media. Fans fell in love with her brutal honesty, something Ballerini has always been known for, but this time she held nothing back. Now, she's extending the chapter before finally closing it with Rolling Up the Welcome Mat (For Good).

The reworked version of Rolling Up the Welcome Mat begins with the same two songs the minimalistic and atmospheric "Mountain With A View" followed by the somber tune "Just Married." On track three, "Penthouse (Healed Version)" listeners are taken to a live performance from Ballerini's HEARTFIRST TOUR. During the last chorus, Ballerini changes the lines "I kissed someone new last night / But now I don't know where you're sleeping, baby" to "I kissed someone new last night / And now I don't care where you're sleeping, baby." The minor yet empowering change showcases the growth and the courage to finally move on after a major life change. The audience was eagerly raving about the updated narrative.

On "Interlude (Full Length)" Ballerini extends what was a 45-second tune into a track over two minutes in duration. The interlude plays into fun pop and R&B music soundscapes with layered, vibrating vocals. "I mean it even more now a few months later / I'm blowing up my life, but I'm standing by the crater / That's all that's left to say you can love or you can hate her." The spilled lyrics read like a heavy stream of consciousness.

The last entry on Rolling Up the Welcome Mat (For Good) is a brand-new song titled "How Do I Do This." Within the lyrics, Ballerini navigates the single life post-divorce. The chorus opens with the direct and honest line "I'm scared of looking stupid." She continues on, exploring her own self-doubt and nervousness admitting, "Everything I knew about love is ruined / It's so confusing / So how do I, how do I do this?"

Ballerini is not only incredibly honest to herself but also to her listeners. The Rolling Up the Welcome Mat project always served as a refuge for women who might be going through big life changes similar to Ballerini's, and the fresh additions only make it stronger and more empathetic.

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