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Review: Country star Kelsea Ballerini brings 'Miss Me More' tour to sold-out Hertz Arena in Estero

Country music star Kelsea Ballerini is unapologetically herself, even while performing her first arena-headlining tour at the sold-out Hertz Arena on Thursday night.

Wearing a fiery red outfit with knee-high boots and an equally high ponytail, the 25-year-old Knoxville native commanded attention when she first hit the stage with her girl power anthem "Miss Me More."

"I forgot I had dreams, I forgot I had wings
Forgot who I was before I ever kissed you
Yeah, I thought I'd miss you
But I miss me more (I miss me more)"

Country-pop singer, Kelsea Ballerini brought her first arena-headlining tour "Miss Me More" to Hertz Arena in Estero, FL, April 25, 2019. The concert was sold out.

The hit song also happens to be the name of Ballerini's 14-city tour, which kicked off April 11 in Maryland and features two Florida stops, including St. Augustine.

Coming up at Hertz:ZZ Top to play at Hertz Arena for 50th anniversary tour with Cheap Trick. Tickets on sale this week.

Ballerini was joined by country newcomer Brandon Ratcliff, who performed a 15-minute set, and Brett Young, who had nearly every female concertgoer swooning as he sung his No. 1 single on Billboard's Country Airplay chart, "Here Tonight."

Young, who's from California, had the crowd going for nearly an hour with his Cali-country hits, and it seemed as though concertgoers couldn't possibly get more excited until Ballerini took to the stage.

She sang several tracks from her latest album “Unapologetically,” including her cheeky “Get Over Yourself” and her more reflective tracks “Machine Heart” and “Legends.” She also performed songs off her first album "The First Time," including “Dibs,” “Love Me Like You Mean It” and “Peter Pan.” She closed the show with a high-energy performance of “This Feeling,” a mainstream pop song she and The Chainsmokers collaborated on.

Hot off her sophomore album "Unapologetically," to say Ballerini's musical career is on fire is an understatement. She was recently inducted as the newest and youngest current member of the Grand Ole Opry by one of country's leading ladies, Carrie Underwood.

In between songs, Ballerini spoke from the heart, sharing intimate stories behind "Unapologetically," which she said she recorded while she was going through her first real breakup and growing into her own as a woman. She also shared how excited she was to receive the honor from the Grand Ole Opry earlier this month. 

"It's the peak of life," she told the crowd, then joking that it could only go downhill from here. "It was the biggest honor of all time."

Ballerini, now a two-time Grammy nominated artist, moved to Nashville with her mom when she was only 15 to pursue a music career. She dedicated "In Between," a song off her latest album, to her mom, who was in the crowd Thursday night for the three-hour show, along with Ballerini's Australian singer-songwriter hubby Morgan Evans. 

But it was the fans Ballerini kept coming back to. 

"Thank you for making a 15-year-old girl's wish come true," she told concertgoers before stepping off the stage and walking around the arena to take selfies and shake hands with fans while singing her hit song "Love Me Like You Mean It."

Ballerini is a force to be reckoned with not just in country radio but the music industry in general. In the past she's opened for some of country's biggest acts like Alan Jackson, Lady Antebellum, Tim McGraw, Carrie Underwood and Keith Urban. Now that she finally has her own tour she can show off how versatile she is as an artist. She can go from country to pop and isn't afraid to cross genres.

And she also isn't afraid to strap on a guitar or play the drums when the occasion arises. She was completely in her element when it was just her and the mic. A couple of times she took a break from skipping around the stage to autograph posters all while still singing. 

She's definitely on her way and while there's no telling what Ballerini will do next, one thing is for certain: She won't apologize for being herself. 

More on Kelsea:Kelsea Ballerini comes full circle at Opry, thanks to Carrie Underwood

Kelsea Ballerini tour setlist

  • Miss Me More
  • Fun and Games
  • Graveyard
  • Get Over Yourself
  • XO
  • Unapologetically
  • Yeah Boy
  • I Hate Love Songs
  • Dibs / I Like Me Better
  • Love Me Like You Mean It
  • Machine Heart
  • High School
  • In Between
  • We Were Like
  • Legends
  • Roses 
  • Peter Pan
  • This Feeling