Album: Kelsea (2020)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Having sung about the insecurities of a homecoming queen and her dislike of clubbing, Kelsea Ballerini continues with the theme of vulnerability on "LA." She sings throughout the song about her "love-and-hate relationship" with Los Angeles.

    I watch the sun sink down over Santa Monica Boulevard
    When I'm lonely and I'm missin' home
    But other times I feel like my blood is runnin' Cali


    Though the singer is unsure if she's "cool enough" to fit in with the LA celebrities, she admits The Golden State can be magical.
  • On "Club," Ballerini talks about "stressin' over conversations." In "LA" the nerves she feels are amplified by the glitz and glamor of the City of Angels.

    I'm on my third glass of wine tryin' to find conversation
    In a room with bigger names
  • Ballerini wrote "LA" alone, sitting on a bathroom floor in Los Angeles. The Nashville star explained in an Instagram post that she'd left her guitar on her tour bus, so the song began as a stream-of-consciousness-style poem. In it she talks about "feeling equal parts like somebody and like nobody, surrounded and completely alone, inspired and terrified, on top of the world and filled to the brim with anxiety."

    "As soon as I got to the bus a few days later it became this," Ballerini added. "It's not cool to talk about not feeling cool. But it's honest. And I'm really proud of every word of it."

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Songs Discussed in Movies

Songs Discussed in MoviesSong Writing

Bridesmaids, Reservoir Dogs, Willy Wonka - just a few of the flicks where characters discuss specific songs, sometimes as a prelude to murder.

Gary Brooker of Procol Harum

Gary Brooker of Procol HarumSongwriter Interviews

The lead singer and pianist for Procol Harum, Gary talks about finding the musical ideas to match the words.

Rick Astley

Rick AstleySongwriter Interviews

Rick Astley on "Never Gonna Give You Up," "Cry For Help," and his remarkable resurgence that gave him another #1 UK album.

Joan Armatrading

Joan ArmatradingSongwriter Interviews

The revered singer-songwriter talks inspiration and explains why she put a mahout in "Drop the Pilot."

Taylor Dayne

Taylor DayneSongwriter Interviews

Taylor talks about "The Machine" - the hits, the videos and Clive Davis.

Wolfgang Van Halen

Wolfgang Van HalenSongwriter Interviews

Wolfgang Van Halen breaks down the songs on his debut album, Mammoth WVH, and names the definitive Van Halen songs from the Sammy and Dave eras.