Published by Cel Manero from Global One Media Inc.
Kelsea Ballerini shared with PEOPLE that she found herself deep into Reddit during a particularly chaotic period in her life.
Kelsea Ballerini has taken a step back to reassess how she engages with social media.
During a recent stop on her first arena headlining tour, the country singer admitted to the crowd that one of her unhealthy habits is still reading online comments. However, in her latest PEOPLE cover story, she explained that she’s now approaching the digital world with a more mindful perspective.
“I ditched Twitter a long time ago — that was a big help. Twitter really did a number on me,” said Ballerini, 31, referencing her 2022 track “Doin’ My Best.” “So that one’s been out of my life for a while.”
She continued, “I got into Reddit for a bit during a chaotic time in my life, and it turned toxic really quickly. That’s when I realized I needed to set some boundaries — so I walked away from that too.”
These days, Ballerini limits her online presence to just a couple platforms — and surprisingly, not for the reasons people might assume.
Kelsea Ballerini admits she mainly sticks to TikTok and Instagram these days — though even that can feel overwhelming. “I try to stay active on those, but sometimes it feels like too much,” she says. “I think it’s because I’m a people pleaser, and I genuinely enjoy the feedback. I’ll tweak set lists or make adjustments on tour based on what I see fans posting on TikTok.”
Still, she acknowledges the emotional toll it can take. “I’m a woman, I’m sensitive, and I’m an artist. Mean comments still get to me.”
A strong advocate for therapy, Ballerini has worked through her people-pleasing tendencies in sessions. One piece of advice from her therapist particularly stuck with her: “Kelsea, you need to care more about less.”
Now, while she still values input from fans, she says, “I don’t let it carry the same weight it once did.”
Following her divorce in 2022, Kelsea Ballerini leaned heavily on therapy, a tool that had already supported her through earlier challenges, including struggles with an eating disorder in her teens and PTSD from witnessing a school shooting.
“Therapy has been transformative for me,” she shares. “There’s still a lot of stigma around opening up about certain experiences, but the only way to break that down is by starting those conversations.”
Her journey of self-awareness and healing has shaped the heart of her new album, Patterns, which reflects the internal work she’s done to better understand and accept herself.
“I’m really conscious of my flaws — I’ve acknowledged them and continue to grow through them,” Ballerini explains. “At the same time, I fully embrace who I am today. That’s new for me. I had to live a little, to go through tough moments and learn who I am before I could truly love myself.”