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Kelsea Ballerini made a particularly “emotional and sentimental” announcement on Monday morning (September 9).
Ballerini announced a “one night only” performance at Madison Square Garden in New York City to mark her highly-anticipated album release next month. The video she shared to announce the show features her beloved dog, Dibs, and was filmed just a few weeks before Ballerini learned he has inoperable cancer in his heart. Ballerini opened up about Dibs’ diagnosis in a recent note on her Instagram story, writing that Dibs is not in pain, the cancer has not spread further and he would start medication “to try to make sure he can have as many comfortable and happy days (weeks, months 🙏) left as possible. …It’s a complex and emotional time.”
The CMA Award nominee's announcement video on Monday morning captures aerial views of New York City. Dibs is along for the ride in the helicopter, and hops in a cab after making a safe landing with the skyline behind him. He joins Ballerini at Madison Square Garden as she announces she’ll take the stage on Tuesday, October 29, days after releasing her new album, Patterns. The show will also include two sister duos: Aly & AJ — a “pinch me” moment for Ballerini — and 2024 ACM New Duo of the Year Tigirlily Gold.
Ballerini said in her caption on Instagram that “the whole time i was making this album, i was visualizing and dreamscaping ways to bring it to life for our live show. in one of my favorite cities that is landmarked heavily in the music and visuals of PATTERNS, i’m so giddy to be celebrating this album release one night only at MADISON SQUARE GARDEN with aly and aj (pinch me) and my girls tigirlily gold on october 29th!!!!” She added that “we filmed this a few weeks before we learned about dibby’s diagnosis, which makes this announcement even more emotional and sentimental. He sure did love getting to frolick around NYC and put his happy spirit into MSG to get it ready for us all. 🤍”
Ballerini announced Patterns last month. The 15-track album is Ballerini’s highly-anticipated follow-up to Subject To Change, which released in September 2022, and Rolling Up The Welcome Mat, a deeply vulnerable surprise EP and accompanying short film that followed in February 2023. The EP shared Ballerini’s story of heartache and healing after divorce, and she ultimately expanded the collection with an extended edition in August 2023.
Now, however, Ballerini has said that that’s “a chapter of my life that is far past me now.” Her fifth full-length studio album offers a fresher perspective, and “never handled anything with so much care in my life.” Patterns is due on October 25.
Tickets to Ballerini’s album release show at Madison Square Garden will be available to the general public on Thursday (September 12) at 10 a.m. ET.