Kelsea Ballerini's "homecoming queen?"

Every once in a while, a hushed, vulnerable ballad sneaks in among the vigorously energetic country hits in rotation and registers an emotional impact. That’s what Kelsea Ballerini’s pulled off with “homecoming queen?” The song plays out like an imagined heart-to-heart with a woman who strives to maintain an image of flawlessness, and Ballerini’s breathy delivery, over fingerpicked acoustic guitar, telegraphs an understanding of that burden. She wrote the tune with Nicolle Galyon and Jimmy Robbins—a couple of pros known for helping artists access submerged emotions. Robbins also handled the production. These playlists are a chance to get to know the work they do behind the scenes.