Album Review: "Mount Pleasant" - Kelsea Ballerini

I have had a special place in my heart for Kelsea Ballerini since her “Rolling Up the Welcome Mat” EP debuted in early 2023. Last year, she released her fifth studio album, “Patterns,” which dominated my Spotify Wrapped and elevated Ballerini’s already impeccable songwriting abilities. These two projects have a touch of magic that has gotten me through so many of the trials and tribulations that come with being a woman in her early twenties, and have set the bar for what I expect from all of Ballerini’s projects through the roof.

Her newest EP, “Mount Pleasant,” was released on November 14, 2025, and includes 6 tracks. It is short and sweet, with a runtime of only 15 minutes, exploring complex feelings of envy, longing, and regret when reflecting upon one’s life path. Ballerini exposes her deepest insecurities and gets honest about comparing herself to her peers while also trying to stay rooted in who she is. 

Tracklist

1. I Sit in Parks

2. People Pleaser

3. Emerald City

4. 587

5. The Revisionist

6. Check On Your Friends

I Sit in Parks

“I Sit In Parks” is the first single from “Mount Pleasant,” and it instantly sets the stage for the rest of the album as she speaks to feeling envious of her perception of another person’s life, while also trying to find gratitude for where she is. 

The song follows Ballerini as she sits in a park and watches a family at a Saturday picnic. She idealizes this scene, longing to swap places with the mother she is watching. In the same breath, Ballerini is also aware of how lucky she is to have achieved success in her career, and she wonders if the woman she is watching wants to swap places with her just as badly as she does. “I Sit In Parks” continues to follow the concept of listening to one’s body clock while pursuing other ambitions. It asks the age-old question, “Can we ever really have it all?”

As a woman who does not want children, the dream of motherhood that Ballerini speaks to doesn’t resonate with me as it might with others. However, while I may not feel connected to the root of this song, I can relate to that longing of finding “the one” and wanting to build a life with them in the midst of chasing other dreams. We are all trying to “have it all,” even if that “all” looks different for each person. No matter how young or old we may be, we have all felt like we are running out of time to achieve the life we want. 

People Pleaser

While I may not relate to “I Sit in Parks,” I do relate to “People Pleaser” more than I would like to admit. This track follows instances where Ballerini has abandoned her true self and her happiness to make things more palatable for others. Clocking in at only 2 minutes and 12 seconds, this song is short and straight to the point.

The part that stuck out to me most in this track comes during the bridge, as Ballerini sings, “Right now I just wanna scream // but that would be dramatic of me // Right now I just want to leave // But I guess that I’ll stay, he likes me today.”  These lines instantly take me back to “Welcome Mat,” which got me through a bad relationship and subsequent breakup. 

The entire song is a call out for me, but this part in particular is a gut punch to us self-aware people pleasers. Though we may be able to recognize where we are going wrong, we have to learn the lessons over and over again before we gain the strength to break the cycle.  

Emerald City

“Emerald City” is by far the most controversial song on this record, as it confronts the ugliness of jealousy in a relationship as Ballerini compares herself to her partner’s former lover. It is a bit of an uncomfortable listen, as the feeling of envy often is.

Even the most healthy relationships can include moments of insecurity, and Ballerini admits that this is something she must overcome in herself for the relationship to progress. However, she does ask her partner to affirm their devotion to her and give her grace as she attempts to overcome this emotion.

One line that listeners have especially picked up on is, “I always liked my naive innocence, ‘til I heard she got around // Now I’m green.” The toxic side of her jealousy is on full display here, and many fans have expressed disappointment at the element of slut shaming that is present. While some argue that this part was Ballerini’s way of exposing her own cattiness in the midst of envy, others argue that this line feels immature and should have stayed in the drafts.

587

“587” is a somber track that reflects upon the end of a relationship. It highlights the smallest details that only two people who meant the world to each other would know about, such as the color of his sheets and her lipstick stain on his wine glass.  

It chronicles the difficulties of a long-distance relationship, as they would fly to each other with excitement, only to end up fighting as soon as they were together in person. The distance between them now is more than the 587 miles between the locations, and it is too great a distance to traverse.

This song perfectly encapsulates the feeling of being right on the cusp of accepting that things are over, but still daring to look back just in case there is still a sliver of hope left. 

The Revisionist

“The Revisionist” is a simple, piano-based track that puts Ballerini’s vocals front and center. In another feat of lyrical storytelling, Ballerini reflects upon the choices she’s made in her life that she might like to go back and correct with the help of “the Revisionist.” 

Beginning from childhood memories, Ballerini recalls small moments of childhood naivety, from accepting her cousin’s dare to go downhill on a skateboard and ending up with lifelong scars, to touching wet paint when her mother told her not to.

The lyrics then explore deeper topics, such as Ballerini losing her virginity with a first love before she was ready. While reflecting upon that experience, she also wonders how she will tell her future daughter about it, and what wisdom she might impart.

It is a brutally honest track that puts her past missteps in the spotlight, and while she has no choice but to own her past, she would still erase them if she could. This tentative acceptance mirrors the feeling from “587,” as Ballerini moves forward while still looking over her shoulder.

Check On Your Friends

“Check On Your Friends” is a reminder to do just that; while your loved ones may seem to have it all together on the surface, you never actually know what is going on inside. This song is a love letter to female friendship and taking care of the ones you love. It feels like the little sister of Ballerini’s tracks, “IF YOU GO DOWN (I’M GOIN’ DOWN TOO)” and “I Would, Would You.” 

The end of “Check On Your Friends” reintroduces the melody of “I Sit In Parks,” bringing the project back full circle.

While I do not feel as connected to this project as I do to “Welcome Mat” and “Patterns,” and likely won’t return to it as often, I still enjoyed Mount Pleasant. It is very sonically cohesive and explores topics that Ballerini hasn’t touched before. This EP will surely feel comforting for those in the same life stages reflected in tracks like “I Sit in Parks” and “Emerald City.” Ballerini has always had a knack for writing lyrics that listeners can project their own experiences on, and this project is no exception.

Written By Tessa Brainard

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