KELSEA BALLERINI’S SOPHOMORE ALBUM UNAPOLOGETICALLY EXCEEDS 44K UNITS IN ITS FIRST WEEK

Nashville, TN (November 20, 2017) – Black River Entertainment’s Kelsea Ballerini continued her history-making tradition with Black River as the debut of her sophomore album Unapologetically (11/3) sold more than 44,000 unitsand debuted at No. 3 on Billboard’s Top Country Albums chart. Additionally, Ballerini became one of only four female country acts to earn a Top 10 spot on the Billboard Top 200 Chart in 2017. Joining Shania Twain (Now, No. 1), Reba McEntire (Sing It Now: Songs of Faith & Hope, No. 4), and Alison Krauss (Windy City, No. 9), Kelsea Ballerini earned her first Top 10 with Unapologetically landing at No. 7.

The domestic chart success coupled with Unapologetically debuting at No. 1 in both the UK and Australia, mark the strongest album debut from Black River Records, by more than tripling the sales from Ballerini’s GOLD-certified debut album The First Time in 2015.

“The Black River team is very pleased with our first-week number, and we are looking forward to the upcoming holiday season!” says Rick Froio, EVP of Black River Records.

Picking up almost directly where The First Time left off, Unapologetically is the chronological story of Ballerini’s last three years, in three sections; loss, life, and love. Songwriting is a crucial part of Ballerini’s artistry and, as is the case with her history-making GOLD-certified The First Time, each of the 12 tracks found on Unapologetically is written or co-written by Ballerini.

Still to come this month, Ballerini is set to make five additional national television appearances, and in movie theaters nationwide, fans can hear Ballerini on “Children Go Where I Send You,” from Sony Pictures Animation’s The Star, as featured on The Star: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack.

Tomorrow, Tuesday, November 21, Ballerini is set to perform her Top 20 single “Legends” on LIVE With Kelly and Ryan (check local listings) and later that evening on the season 25 finale of ABC’s Dancing With The Stars (8/7c). Later that week, catch Ballerini as she’s the featured headliner on CBS’ The Thanksgiving Day Parade on November 23 (check local listings).

Wrapping the month, Ballerini will perform a pop-remixed version of “Legends” during the Nickelodeon HALO Awards airing Sunday, November 26 at 7 pm ET/PT on Nickelodeon, TeenNick and Nicktoons. The following night, Ballerini once again joins some of the biggest names in Country music for the eighth annual CMA Country Christmas. Hosted by the incomparable Reba McEntire, the two-hour holiday special was filmed in Nashville’s famed Grand Ole Opry and airs Monday, November 27, at 8/7c on ABC.

For additional information on Kelsea Ballerini, please visit KelseaBallerini.com and follow her on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

ABOUT KELSEA BALLERINI:
Dubbed GRAMMY nominee Kelsea Ballerini’s “grown-up statement” (Rolling Stone), the Black River Entertainment artist’s acclaimed sophomore album UNAPOLOGETICALLY takes listeners on an intimate journey of loss, life, and love. “Legends” marks the first chart-rising single among the 12-track compilation – all written or co-written by Ballerini. Following a sold-out first headlining tour, THE FIRST TIME TOUR, last year, Ballerini kicks off THE UNAPOLOGETICALLY TOUR this winter. The record-breaker skyrocketed to stardom after releasing three consecutive PLATINUM-certified, #1 smashes from her critically acclaimed, GOLD debut album THE FIRST TIME – “Love Me Like You Mean It,” “Peter Pan,” and “Dibs” – making her the only female artist in Country music history, including female duos and groups, to achieve this accolade. Ballerini has appeared on the cover of Billboard Magazine’s GRAMMY preview issue, was included in Forbes’ “30 Under 30” class of 2017, and featured in People Magazine’s “Beauty at Every Age” list in their iconic World’s Most Beautiful issue for 2017. Praised by The New York Times as an “elegant songwriter,” Ballerini has received the esteemed ASCAP Vanguard Award, in addition to gaining recognition by being honored with CMT’s Impact Award after being chosen to be a part of CMT’s Next Women of Country, Nashville Business Journal’s Artist of The Year, ACM Honor’s Gene Weed Milestone Award, iHeartRadio Music Award for Best New Country Artist, ACM Award for New Female Vocalist of the Year (2016), ACCA Award forBreakthrough Female of the Year (2016), multiple Radio Disney Music Awards, and Billboard’s Rising Star title at the prestigious 2015 Women in Music event.

ABOUT BLACK RIVER ENTERTAINMENT:
Underneath the Black River Entertainment umbrella is a family of record labels, a management company, a GRAMMY-winning publishing company, and state-of-the-art recording studios.

Black River Records, Black River Americana, Black River Christian and Passport Productions make up the family of record labels. The combined roster of artists includes Abby Anderson, Kelsea Ballerini, Jacob Davis, Ronnie Milsap and Craig Morgan; Carolina Story; Hannah Kerr and Josh Wilson; and Nikita Karmen. Thrive Management provides artist management services within Black River Christian.

Black River Publishing is home to many talented writers including: Hit songwriters/producers Bobby Huff and Josh Kerr, songwriters/artists Ben Caver, Eddie Garcia, Nikita Karmen, John King, Scott Stepakoff, Anna Vaus, Nick Wayne and Painted West, songwriters/Black River recording artists Abby Anderson, Carolina Story, Jacob Davis, Hannah Kerr and Josh Wilson, and the catalogues of hit-songwriter/Black River Recording artist Kelsea Ballerini, hit songwriters/producers Doug Johnson, Forest Glen Whitehead, and GRAMMY-winning songwriter Josh Osborne.

Owned and operated by BRE, the historic Sound Stage and Ronnie’s Place studios are located on Nashville’s famous Music Row and have set the standard legendary artists/musicians/producers have appreciated since the late 1960s. Artists from multiple genres have cut hits in these studios including 50 Cent, Kelsea Ballerini, Garth Brooks, Johnny Cash, Casting Crowns, Alice Cooper, Sam Hunt, Miranda Lambert, Jerry Lee Lewis, Reba McEntire, Craig Morgan, PHISH, Taylor Swift, Shania Twain and Keith Urban.

Part of the Pegula Sports and Entertainment family, which includes the NFL’s Buffalo Bills, NHL’s Buffalo Sabres, AHL’s Rochester Americans, NLL’s Buffalo Bandits, HARBORCENTER, Buffalo Marriott HARBORCENTER, KeyBank Center, and IMPACT Sports Performance, Black River Entertainment and its entities are based in Nashville, TN. For more information, please visit www.blackriverent.com.

 

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