Kelsea Ballerini. Photo: Nyk Allen, Courtesy of Black River Entertainment
With her new album Patterns, her fifth project since her launch into country music with her 2014 single “Love Me Like You Mean It,” Kelsea Ballerini delivers an expansive excavation of her truth. Since earning her footing with five radio chart-toppers and multiple industry awards, she’s not only traveled skywards with her most recent projects, but she’s gone deeper, too.
Ballerini’s 2023 project Rolling Up The Welcome Mat, and its predecessor Subject To Change that was released just a few months earlier, marked a shift in her artistry. With the confidence of a genre-leading songwriter, Ballerini embraced a raw honesty, showing more of her true self—polished or not.
As her lyrics became more autobiographical and unfiltered, fans flocked to her music. Now, concertgoers fill rows, displaying her lyrics on posters, clothing and even their skin, “scream-singing,” as she puts it, the words alongside her.
On Patterns, Ballerini is in top form, sharing the realness, complications, acceptance and, ultimately, the wisdom that she’s earned in a 15-track opus of the female experience.
It’s no surprise that Patterns was created with four more of Music Row’s leading ladies, with all songs (other than Noah Kahan‘s verse on “Cowboys Cry Too”) co-written in some combination of Ballerini with Hillary Lindsey, Jessie Jo Dillon, Karen Fairchild and Alysa Vanderheym, who returned as the album’s producer.
Ballerini and Vanderheym began creating Patterns with the tracks “This Time Last Year” and “Cowboys Cry Too.” After the whirlwind of Rolling Up The Welcome Mat, she needed a break to reconnect with herself before starting her next project.
“I had to take a break and be back in my life and in my body—live some life to write about. Then I had to figure out what about Welcome Mat connected like it did, and how do I carry that forward into the present day and who I am now,” Ballerini shares with MusicRow.
“Honestly, I realized that I had accidentally been rounding the edges of my music for a long time. Even though it was about my life and my big feelings and everything felt very tailored to me, I was leaving out details because I wanted it to be for everyone. In Welcome Mat, I didn’t do that. I learned that that level of honesty somehow is more relatable and more connective.”
With this realization, she penned “Sorry Mom” during her first writing retreat with Vanderheym, Lindsey, Dillon and Fairchild. Starting with the line, “Sorry, Mom, I smelled like cigarettes, and my eyes were casa red with a pounding in my head showing up again on Sunday morning,” the song reveals truths she might have hesitated to share a few years ago.
“I’ve always struggled with being palatable and being for everyone. I’ve slowly and gently started to realize that no one is for everyone,” she says. “I do have opinions and I do talk like this—the last thing I ever want to be as a human or an artist is fake. Being surrounded by these women [helped me be brave enough to share]. They not only let me lead in these rooms, they encouraged me and wanted the DNA of this album to be mine with them supporting it.”
It quickly became clear to Ballerini that Patterns needed to be crafted within the sacred space of these female friendships. After writing “Sorry Mom,” “Baggage” and “Two Things,” she knew it was time to “lock the door” and keep this creative energy between them. Together, the five women brought Patterns to life, crafting songs that explore moving on after heartbreak, generational trauma, complex emotions, falling love, doing life your friends and appreciating growth.
In the spirit of unrelenting honesty, Ballerini says the songwriters went for truth even if it meant sacrificing a clever hook or twist of phrase.
“I used to think being a great songwriter meant figuring out the most clever way to say something. Now I think my version of being a great songwriter is asking, ‘What’s the most honest way to say this?'” she says. “There’s little payoff moments, like the bridge in ‘Wait!’ that gives you one little clever bit, and the rest is quite literally word vomit. That interests me more.”
After writing “How Much Do You Love Me,” Ballerini recognized an evolution in her songwriting that illustrates her radical acceptance of the truth.
“On songs like ‘Peter Pan,’ I always twist it to be in power. Even though I’m heartbroken through the song, at the very end, I say, ‘but you don’t know what you lost, boy.’ I always have to be in control.
“‘How Much Do You Love Me’ is one of the first songs where I’m not,” she says. “It reminds me of that movie scene where the girl says, ‘I’m just a girl, standing in front of a boy, asking him to love her.’ Even that in itself is breaking a pattern.”
Lush and organic tracks like “First Rodeo,” “Baggage” and “Cowboys Cry Too” fit alongside seamlessly with “Wait!” and “Deep,” two pop-leaning songs on the album, because of their openness. Ballerini credits producer Vanderheym as an invaluable collaborator on the album’s myriad of sounds, creating a space that allows for both trust and fun.
“Whatever the healthiest version of codependent is, is how I feel with her musically. There’s such a trust that we’ve built and it’s easy—and most of all it is so fun,” Ballerini says. “There’s a real beauty about making record five and remembering that it’s supposed to be fun. She brought that out in me.”
Among the album’s standout moments, Ballerini recalls how Patterns’ title track emerged during a retreat in the Bahamas, when Lindsey spontaneously began strumming chords while the women were taking a break.
“Fresh out of the pool, she grabs the guitar, starts finding these chords and hums the chorus melody. Everyone immediately shut up. She started structurally singing parts of ‘Patterns,’ then I started singing words and Karen started,” she remembers. “It was like watching an Olympic athlete.”
Fairchild was instrumental in shaping “Two Things.”
“We got really stuck on that song. We wanted it to be a power ballad, but we wanted it to have a sense of urgency to it because that song is about an urgent moment in time,” Ballerini recalls. “We had written the verses and were trying to find a chorus that didn’t feel cheesy. She just sat up and sang the melody. She cracked the code.”
And as for Dillon, Ballerini praises her gift for observation. “I call her ‘The Scribe.’ She doesn’t miss a word, and her skill as an editor is invaluable. When we think a song’s done, she’ll challenge it—and she’s always right.”
With Patterns, Ballerini offers a generous, 46-minute journey into her world, wrapped in her conversational voice and a distinctly country-pop sound. Each track resonates with relatable stories of life’s highs and lows, reflecting why her fans carry her lyrics like personal mantras—captivated by her honesty, openness and gratitude.
Ballerini will continue celebrating the new music tomorrow night (Oct. 29) with a mega-release show at Madison Square Garden, which sold out in minutes. She will hit arenas for the first time on a new tour early next year.
Wimpie Van Der Sandt Receives 2024 CMA International Country Broadcaster Award
/by Liza AndersonKip Moore & Wimpie van der Sandt. Photo: PJ Brown
Bok Radio CEO Wimpie van der Sandt was presented with the 2024 CMA International Country Broadcaster Award on Saturday (Oct. 26) during the first-ever Cape Town Country Festival (CTC) by headliner Kip Moore.
This award recognizes outstanding achievement by a radio broadcaster or syndicated radio reporter outside of the United States who has significantly contributed to the development of country music in their country.
Van der Sandt has helped to bring country music to South Africa through his Bok Radio station, striving to introduce new artists to its people and make waves in the live music space. He also had a hand in producing CTC, South Africa’s largest country music festival, which took place at DHL Stadium. In addition to Moore, the event featured performances by Brothers Osborne, Darius Rucker, Craig Morgan, Morgan Wade and Zac Brown Band, among others.
The Country Music Association plans to present the remaining 2024 CMA International Awards over the next several months.
Tony Chetta Signs With Big Yellow Dog Music
/by Madison HahnenPictured (L–R, back row): Carla Wallace, Rachel Guttmann, Jonah Gordon, Alex Stefano, Nicole Rhodes and Kerry O’Neil; (front row): Tony Chetta
Producer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Tony Chetta has joined Big Yellow Dog Music’s songwriting and sync rosters.
Known for bringing the old school soul sound into modern pop music, Chetta has worked in an array of genres, including pop, rock, folk and R&B. He has collaborated with Dasha, Jessie James Decker, various singers from Song House Collective and more. His work has seen sync placements with Febreze and many other brands, and can be heard on television shows such as Are You The One?, Selling Sunset and Love Island, among others.
“We are thrilled to be working with the talents of Tony Chetta,” says Alex Stefano, VP of Sync at Big Yellow Dog Music. “His ability to create these beautiful, powerful, cinematic tracks is so unique. We can’t wait to see what’s to come.”
“I feel so honored to be the new kid on this roster!” shares Chetta. “This team works so hard and they’ve got the reputation to back it, so I’m stoked to see what we can do together.”
Sarahbeth Taite Makes Grand Ole Opry Debut
/by Lorie HollabaughPictured (L–R): Nathan Chapman, Sarahbeth Taite and Parker Welling. Photo: Anna Schaeffer
Sarahbeth Taite recently made her Grand Ole Opry debut. Nathan Chapman and Parker Welling, both of whom co-produced Taite’s The Way We Started EP, were by her side for the pinch-me moment.
Kelly Sutton & Sarahbeth Taite. Photo: Chris Hollo for Grand Ole Opry
Taite performed “Diamond and a Baby” and “Pretty Good Living,” and shared the stage with Vince Gill, John Berry and Don Schlitz. She teared up between songs, explaining to the audience that since her first visit to the Opry at age 14, she has spent “every day, every year after that, working toward this moment right here.” Following her performance, Opry Host and WSM Radio personality Kelly Sutton joined Taite for an onstage chat.
“It was the most magical night of my career, and I know already that it always will be,” reflects the songstress. “I will never forget stepping into that circle, with one of my baby girls in the audience, and one in my belly. My family and I will treasure this forever.”
Muscadine Bloodline Plots ‘The Coastal Plain Tour’ For 2025
/by Liza AndersonMuscadine Bloodline. Photo: Jay Siske
Muscadine Bloodline has plotted “The Coastal Plain Tour” for 2025.
Named after the country duo’s latest album, the journey will kick off in Cincinnati on Jan. 16 and visit Detroit, Fort Worth, Minneapolis and other cities across the nation. Special guests Colby Acuff, Lance Roark, Chester Floyd and Josh Meloy will join on select dates.
The tour news comes just after Muscadine Bloodline wrapped their run as direct support for Post Malone’s “F-1 Trillion Tour” this past weekend in Austin, Texas.
Presale tickets for “The Coastal Plain Tour” will go on sale tomorrow (Oct. 30) at 10 a.m. local time, with general sales starting this Friday (Nov. 1) at the same time. For more information, click here.
Bailey Zimmerman, Sam Hunt & Hardy To Headline 2025 Boots & Hearts Festival
/by Madison HahnenPictured (L-R): Bailey Zimmerman, Sam Hunt and Hardy.
Boots and Hearts have revealed their 2025 headliners for the annual event, taking place next year on Aug. 7-10 at Burl’s Creek Event Grounds in Oro-Medonte, Ontario.
Bailey Zimmerman will headline night one (Aug. 8), with Tyler Hubbard hitting the stage before him. Night two (Aug. 9) will feature a headline set from Sam Hunt, with support from Chase Rice. Koe Wetzel will warm up the crowd for the night three (Aug. 10) before headliner Hardy. More performers will be announced in early 2025.
“This year is truly special as we welcome three headliners who have been with us from the very start of their careers. It’s a genuine Boots and Hearts love story, shared with our Canadian fans,” shares Brooke Dunford, Director of Booking at Republic Live. “Hardy first captured hearts on our stage in 2019, and his journey since has been nothing short of thrilling. Sam Hunt stepped onto our side stage in 2014 for his Canadian debut, becoming an instant fan favorite. Zimmerman joined in 2023, and it was clear he was bound to headline the main stage. Moments like these remind us how incredible it is to support an artist’s rise while creating unforgettable memories for our fans. Together, we get to celebrate these milestones and share in the journey.”
Festival producers Republic Live have received a multitude of awards for their camping and festival experiences. Accolades include recognition from the Academy of Country Music for Festival of the Year and seven CCMA Award wins for Country Festival of the Year, their most recent being for the 2024 event.
Festival Co-Founder Eva Dunford says, “Our festival is more than just music—it’s where hearts meet, and friendships are made. Every year, we come together to create memorable experiences, celebrate our favorite artists, and build connections that last. I’m so proud of all the hard work the entire staff put into creating such a special event for the community and the country genre.”
Weekend passes will be available for pre-sale beginning Wednesday (Oct. 30) at 10 a.m. ET, with public on sale to follow on Friday (Nov. 1) at 10 a.m. ET.
ACM LEVel Up Now Accepting Nominations & Applications For 2025 Cohort
/by Liza AndersonThe Academy of Country Music’s LEVel Up: Lifting Every Voice program is currently accepting nominations and applications for its 2025 cohort through Monday, Nov. 11.
Funded wholly by ACM at no cost to participants, the two-year intensive program is designed to elevate the next generation of leaders in the music industry and empower participants to play a pivotal role in expanding the horizons of country music into new audiences that transcend demographics and geography. Throughout the first year, participants will learn more about the music business from some of the industry’s key executives and engage in volunteer opportunities. They will also collaborate as a cohort to devise a proposal to expand the genre’s reach into new and underrepresented audience segments. In the second year, the cohort will works together to implement the plan they formulated during their first year in the program.
Emerging leaders are encouraged to apply here if they have worked in the industry for more than five years and demonstrated a commitment and passion for making country music accessible and welcoming to all. Additionally, peers can nominate candidates here.
“The LEVel Up program has brought some of our industry’s most enthusiastic and hard-working rising leaders together to accomplish some truly incredible work in expanding country music to new and different audiences,” says Vipin Reddy, ACM Lifting Voices Council Chair. “On behalf of the ACM Board of Directors and the Lifting Voices Council, I can’t wait to support the individuals that step up to the plate for the 2025 cohort and help foster the ideas they can formulate together and put into action.”
“The Academy is excited to announce the launch of our fourth cohort in 2025. This program, created by our Lifting Voices Council, has been a true labor of love, with each cohort focused on fostering a more inclusive and dynamic music industry. The progress we’ve made over the years showcases our commitment to building a brighter future for music,” shares Kortney Toney, ACM Manager of Programming & Community Engagement/ACM LEVel Up Head. “Our DEI Task Force has worked diligently to open doors and expand opportunities, and we are eager to continue promoting inclusivity and equity through this program right here in Music City.”
Morgan Wallen’s ‘Love Somebody’ Debuts At No. 1 Globally
/by Lorie HollabaughMorgan Wallen‘s latest single, “Love Somebody,” has reached the top of Billboard‘s Hot 100 chart, while simultaneously debuting at No. 1 on 11 other charts around the world.
“Love Somebody” is Wallen’s first song as a solo artist to debut at No. 1 on Billboard‘s Hot 100, and marks his ninth leader as well as his record-extending sixth No. 1 debut on Billboard‘s Hot Country Songs chart. It is also his third song to claim the top slot simultaneously on the two charts, breaking the record previously held by Glen Campbell, John Denver, Dolly Parton, Kenny Rogers and Taylor Swift (each with two).
“Love Somebody” was written by Wallen, John Byron, Ashley Gorley, Jacob Kasher Hindlin, Elof Loelv and Ryan Vojtesak, and produced by Joey Moi and Charlie Handsome. Additionally, a music video for “Love Somebody (Live from Neyland Stadium)” premiered last Thursday (Oct. 24).
The McCrary Sisters Announce 15th Annual ‘A McCrary Kind Of Christmas’
/by Lorie HollabaughThe McCrary Sisters
The McCrary Sisters are celebrating the holidays again this year by giving back to others with their “A McCrary Kind of Christmas” concert on Dec. 6 at Riverside Revival in Nashville.
The 15th annual event will feature performances by The McCrary Sisters, Emmylou Harris, Buddy Miller, Danny and Mabel Flowers, Raul Malo, Etta and Bob Britt, Jim Lauderdale, Lana Bolyejack, Dave Pomeroy, Crimm Singers, Phil Madiera, San Franklin, Allen McCrary, the McCrary Family and more.
The concert benefits St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital as well as individual families in need in the greater Nashville area, and tickets are on sale now here.
“This is the 15th year of A McCrary Kind Of Christmas,” says Regina McCrary. “I am so grateful and thankful that God has allowed us to be here to share with St. Jude Children’s Hospital as well as local Nashville families, and all who come out. The blessings and love that God gives us each and everyday. And also this year to honor the memory of our sister Deborah who passed away June 1, 2022. We miss her so. To celebrate A McCrary Kind Of Christmas is to celebrate family, friends, love, joy, peace, laughter, togetherness, and most importantly to us: God. To unselfishly give back to others the way God has always blessed and given to us.”
On Nov. 1, the Sisters will release a new single, “Let’s Come Together,” a celebratory song of unity during these difficult times. Ahead of the annual benefit, The McCrary Sisters will be performing at the WMOT/NPR Live Sessions Wired In concert on Nov. 6 at Riverside Revival.
‘Concert For Carolina’ Raises Over $24 Million For Hurricane Helene Relief Efforts
/by Madison Hahnen“Concert For Carolina” at Charlotte’s Bank of America Stadium. Photo: David Bergman
“Concert For Carolina” took place Saturday night (Oct. 26) in front of a record-breaking 82,193 in-person attendees and 7.1 million views from Veeps audience members worldwide, garnering $24,513,185 raised for Hurricane Helene relief efforts.
North Carolina natives Luke Combs, Eric Church and James Taylor headlined the event alongside Billy Strings at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina. Additional performers included Sheryl Crow, Keith Urban, Bailey Zimmerman, The Avett Brothers, Scotty McCreery, Chase Rice, Parmalee and Wesko. Hosted by ESPN’s Marty Smith and Barstool Sports’ Caleb Pressley, the fundraiser also featured surprise appearances from Nicole Kidman and Randy Travis.
The “Concert For Carolina” team is still working to raise money to add to the grand total, with a silent auction that is now live. An array of items are available to bid on, including a signed guitar and shirt that Combs used during the show, a meet-and-greet with Church at an upcoming concert, signed NFL, NBA, NCAA and NASCAR gear, signed instruments, a variety of concert and game tickets, a selection of artwork, Yeti coolers and more. For more information, click here.
Eric Church and Luke Combs onstage during “Concert For Carolina” at Charlotte’s Bank of America Stadium. Photo: David Bergman
All proceeds from the auction, benefit show and livestream are being divided up to go to organizations selected by Combs and Church, which includes Samaritan’s Purse, Manna Food Bank, Second Harvest Food Bank of Northwest NC, Eblen Charities and the organizations supported by Chief Cares.
“Concert For Carolina” was made possible due to the support of David and Nicole Tepper and Tepper Sports & Entertainment, Explore Asheville, Biltmore Estate, T-Mobile, Jack Daniel’s, Whataburger, Miller Lite, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina, Belk, Lowe’s, Atrium Health, Tractor Supply Company, Bank of America, American Airlines, Food Lion, Duke’s Mayo, GE Aerospace, Harris Teeter, Pinnacle Financial Partners, United Healthcare, Bud Light, Preferred Parking, Gildan and AshBritt.
Leaving The Rough Edges: Kelsea Ballerini Leads With Truth On ‘Patterns’ [Interview]
/by LB CantrellKelsea Ballerini. Photo: Nyk Allen, Courtesy of Black River Entertainment
With her new album Patterns, her fifth project since her launch into country music with her 2014 single “Love Me Like You Mean It,” Kelsea Ballerini delivers an expansive excavation of her truth. Since earning her footing with five radio chart-toppers and multiple industry awards, she’s not only traveled skywards with her most recent projects, but she’s gone deeper, too.
Ballerini’s 2023 project Rolling Up The Welcome Mat, and its predecessor Subject To Change that was released just a few months earlier, marked a shift in her artistry. With the confidence of a genre-leading songwriter, Ballerini embraced a raw honesty, showing more of her true self—polished or not.
As her lyrics became more autobiographical and unfiltered, fans flocked to her music. Now, concertgoers fill rows, displaying her lyrics on posters, clothing and even their skin, “scream-singing,” as she puts it, the words alongside her.
On Patterns, Ballerini is in top form, sharing the realness, complications, acceptance and, ultimately, the wisdom that she’s earned in a 15-track opus of the female experience.
It’s no surprise that Patterns was created with four more of Music Row’s leading ladies, with all songs (other than Noah Kahan‘s verse on “Cowboys Cry Too”) co-written in some combination of Ballerini with Hillary Lindsey, Jessie Jo Dillon, Karen Fairchild and Alysa Vanderheym, who returned as the album’s producer.
Ballerini and Vanderheym began creating Patterns with the tracks “This Time Last Year” and “Cowboys Cry Too.” After the whirlwind of Rolling Up The Welcome Mat, she needed a break to reconnect with herself before starting her next project.
“I had to take a break and be back in my life and in my body—live some life to write about. Then I had to figure out what about Welcome Mat connected like it did, and how do I carry that forward into the present day and who I am now,” Ballerini shares with MusicRow.
“Honestly, I realized that I had accidentally been rounding the edges of my music for a long time. Even though it was about my life and my big feelings and everything felt very tailored to me, I was leaving out details because I wanted it to be for everyone. In Welcome Mat, I didn’t do that. I learned that that level of honesty somehow is more relatable and more connective.”
With this realization, she penned “Sorry Mom” during her first writing retreat with Vanderheym, Lindsey, Dillon and Fairchild. Starting with the line, “Sorry, Mom, I smelled like cigarettes, and my eyes were casa red with a pounding in my head showing up again on Sunday morning,” the song reveals truths she might have hesitated to share a few years ago.
“I’ve always struggled with being palatable and being for everyone. I’ve slowly and gently started to realize that no one is for everyone,” she says. “I do have opinions and I do talk like this—the last thing I ever want to be as a human or an artist is fake. Being surrounded by these women [helped me be brave enough to share]. They not only let me lead in these rooms, they encouraged me and wanted the DNA of this album to be mine with them supporting it.”
It quickly became clear to Ballerini that Patterns needed to be crafted within the sacred space of these female friendships. After writing “Sorry Mom,” “Baggage” and “Two Things,” she knew it was time to “lock the door” and keep this creative energy between them. Together, the five women brought Patterns to life, crafting songs that explore moving on after heartbreak, generational trauma, complex emotions, falling love, doing life your friends and appreciating growth.
In the spirit of unrelenting honesty, Ballerini says the songwriters went for truth even if it meant sacrificing a clever hook or twist of phrase.
“I used to think being a great songwriter meant figuring out the most clever way to say something. Now I think my version of being a great songwriter is asking, ‘What’s the most honest way to say this?'” she says. “There’s little payoff moments, like the bridge in ‘Wait!’ that gives you one little clever bit, and the rest is quite literally word vomit. That interests me more.”
After writing “How Much Do You Love Me,” Ballerini recognized an evolution in her songwriting that illustrates her radical acceptance of the truth.
“On songs like ‘Peter Pan,’ I always twist it to be in power. Even though I’m heartbroken through the song, at the very end, I say, ‘but you don’t know what you lost, boy.’ I always have to be in control.
“‘How Much Do You Love Me’ is one of the first songs where I’m not,” she says. “It reminds me of that movie scene where the girl says, ‘I’m just a girl, standing in front of a boy, asking him to love her.’ Even that in itself is breaking a pattern.”
Lush and organic tracks like “First Rodeo,” “Baggage” and “Cowboys Cry Too” fit alongside seamlessly with “Wait!” and “Deep,” two pop-leaning songs on the album, because of their openness. Ballerini credits producer Vanderheym as an invaluable collaborator on the album’s myriad of sounds, creating a space that allows for both trust and fun.
“Whatever the healthiest version of codependent is, is how I feel with her musically. There’s such a trust that we’ve built and it’s easy—and most of all it is so fun,” Ballerini says. “There’s a real beauty about making record five and remembering that it’s supposed to be fun. She brought that out in me.”
Among the album’s standout moments, Ballerini recalls how Patterns’ title track emerged during a retreat in the Bahamas, when Lindsey spontaneously began strumming chords while the women were taking a break.
“Fresh out of the pool, she grabs the guitar, starts finding these chords and hums the chorus melody. Everyone immediately shut up. She started structurally singing parts of ‘Patterns,’ then I started singing words and Karen started,” she remembers. “It was like watching an Olympic athlete.”
Fairchild was instrumental in shaping “Two Things.”
“We got really stuck on that song. We wanted it to be a power ballad, but we wanted it to have a sense of urgency to it because that song is about an urgent moment in time,” Ballerini recalls. “We had written the verses and were trying to find a chorus that didn’t feel cheesy. She just sat up and sang the melody. She cracked the code.”
And as for Dillon, Ballerini praises her gift for observation. “I call her ‘The Scribe.’ She doesn’t miss a word, and her skill as an editor is invaluable. When we think a song’s done, she’ll challenge it—and she’s always right.”
With Patterns, Ballerini offers a generous, 46-minute journey into her world, wrapped in her conversational voice and a distinctly country-pop sound. Each track resonates with relatable stories of life’s highs and lows, reflecting why her fans carry her lyrics like personal mantras—captivated by her honesty, openness and gratitude.
Ballerini will continue celebrating the new music tomorrow night (Oct. 29) with a mega-release show at Madison Square Garden, which sold out in minutes. She will hit arenas for the first time on a new tour early next year.