Kelsea Ballerini shares why she’s apologizing to her mom in new song

Country music star Kelsea Ballerini is opening up about her new song, “Sorry Mom” from her new album “Patterns.”

It’s a song Ballerini said was “one of the first songs” she wrote for the new album.

The tune is dedicated to her actual mom, Carla Denham. The lyrics allude to the mistakes Ballerini’s made in the past and their mother-daughter relationship over the years.

“Sorry, Mom, I smelled like cigarettes. And my eyes were casa red with a pounding in my head,” the song begins. “Showing up again on Sunday morning. You just made the eggs and turned your head.”

The song dives into the differences they’ve dealt with over the years but how they both made it through the difficult times.

“Maybe I ran all the red lights. Maybe we got into a few fights. It’s a different cloth we cut but underneath, we’re the same blood,” Ballerini sings. “So I know it took a little tough love to become the woman that you’re proud of.”

Ballerini sat down with Today’s Willie Geist on the Oct. 27, saying that her relationship with her mom has changed a lot as they’ve gotten older, calling it “one of the most beautiful things.”

The singer explained that their relationship has morphed from “mother to daughter, to woman to woman.”

“Like, she was a helicopter mom growing up, and now we’re finally at this phase where I’m 31 now, and we’re in this beautiful phase of life where I’m able to be like, ‘Hey, listen, I know that you probably wanted to shield me from a couple of the choices that I’ve made in my life. But at the end of the day I’m safe and I’m happy and you love me and I love you,'” she says. “And that’s all we can ask for.”

As for how Denham responded to the song her daughter wrote for her, Ballerini, an only child, called her mom’s reaction sweet.

“She got done listening to it, and she said, ‘She has nothing to be sorry for,’ which I think is very sweet,” Ballerini told Geist.

On Instagram, Ballerini called the song “a love letter” to the changes many mothers and daughters go through.

“Patterns” is out now.

About Mamas Uncut

Mamas Uncut is THE online place for moms. We cover the latest about motherhood, parenting, and entertainment as well – all with a mom-focused twist. So if you're looking for parenting advice from real parents, we have plenty of it, all for moms from moms, and also experts. Because, at the end of the day, our mission is focused solely on empowering moms and moms-to-be with the knowledge and answers they’re looking for in one safe space.

-->
Scroll to Top