Published by Cel Manero from Global One Media Inc.
Ballerini took the stage for a special SiriusXM and Pandora concert at The Riviera Theatre in Chicago.
Kelsea Ballerini leaned into humor and honesty during her return to the stage.
“I just spilled my water. Is it on me?” the 32-year-old singer laughed as she addressed a packed audience on Thursday, Sept. 25, at a private SiriusXM and Pandora show held at Chicago’s Riviera Theatre. “This is the one thing that’s actually gone right in so long,” she quipped.
The lighthearted moment reflected the same unfiltered authenticity that has long defined Ballerini’s artistry, while also hinting at the personal challenges she’s been facing away from the spotlight.
“There’s this beautiful healing, connective thing that happens when I get to play music with you,” she told the crowd before launching into a heartfelt rendition of Fleetwood Mac’s 1977 classic “Dreams.”
The evening carried extra weight for the Grammy-nominated artist, who recently split from Chase Stokes and has also been navigating health struggles with her dog, Dibs. Just a day before the show, she shared on Instagram that Dibs was scheduled for a surprise surgery, asking fans for prayers and positive energy.
Fans responded in kind on Thursday night, raising their voices especially loud during her “Healed Version” of Penthouse, which includes the line: “I bought the house with a fence, enough room for some kids, a backyard for Dibs.” Standing alone in a spotlight with her hair pulled into a ponytail, Ballerini asked gently, “I may need a little extra help with this one tonight if you don’t mind.”
The stripped-down encore closed out a night filled with connection and catharsis, as Ballerini soaked up the warmth of the Chicago crowd.
“We haven’t gotten to play for you guys since tour ended a couple months ago, and we’ve been so looking forward to tonight — on such a perfect fall day,” she said with a smile. “I got to wander the city, grab some coffee, and end the day here with you. I missed you so much.”
Over the 15-song set, the Tennessee native balanced new material from her latest album Patterns — including “Baggage” and “We Broke Up” — with fan favorites like “Love Me Like You Mean It” and “Hole in the Bottle.”
Speaking to PEOPLE earlier this year, Ballerini summed up her approach: “I don’t mind being honest. I have nothing to hide. In my personal life, I’m learning boundaries. But with songwriting, if I ever stop being an open book, it stops being my music.”