Kelsea Ballerini revealed long-awaited answers about a requested unreleased ballad that did not appear on the track list of her fifth studio album.
Some of Ballerini’s fans were shocked to discover that “To The Men That Love Women After Heartbreak” would not be included on Patterns, which arrived on Friday (October 25). Ballerini teased the song on TikTok last year, and delivered the debut live performance on the legendary Grand Ole Opry stage with songwriters Karen Fairchild and Hillary Lindsey. The omission became a “hot topic” among fans eager to listen to the heartfelt ballad that the singer-songwriter wrote amid her romance with actor Chase Stokes. Ballerini hinted that something was in the works when she chatted with social media followers in a live streamed Q&A earlier this month.
“This is a hot topic. ‘To The Men That Love Women After Heartbreak.’ It is not on the record [Patterns],” Ballerini said. “However, I had no idea how much that song, that little clip that I played on the TikTok, meant to a lot of people. So, I’m not gonna do you dirty. I definitely got you. I definitely got you. But it’s not on the record. But I wouldn’t do you like that.”
Ballerini confirmed on Monday (October 28) that she would release Patterns with two bonus tracks as a digital download on her website for a limited time. One of the bonus tracks is a stripped version of “Two Things,” which appeared on the originally-released version of Patterns, and the other is “To The Men That Love Women After Heartbreak.”
“The reality is, I’ve been singing about a chapter of my life that is far past me now,” Ballerini said on the Grand Ole Opry stage when she debuted the song for the first time. She referred to Rolling Up The Welcome Mat, a deeply personal EP that shared her story of heartache and healing after divorce. At that time, Ballerini had been dating Stokes for nearly a year. “And I’m writing about the chapter of life that I’m in, and it looks very different, and I kind of wanted to share a bit of it now. I’m very gently and slowly starting to make the next record. I really want to take the time to handle it with care. I couldn’t not sing this song for the first time with two of the women that I wrote it with, who happen to be two of the reasons that I am who I am as a songwriter and artist.”
Ballerini is celebrating her album’s release with a sold-out show on Tuesday night (October 29) at Madison Square Garden in New York City, which also includes sister duos Aly & AJ and Tigirlily Gold. in 2025, Ballerini will kick off her first headlining arena tour with special guests Maisie Peters and Marynn Taylor. See the dates here.