Kelsea Ballerini Kicks Off Tour with a Tequila Shot, a Chicks Cover — and Four Costume Changes!

Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Kelsea Ballerini

Kelsea Ballerini brought the yee-haw to Radio City Music Hall.

On Saturday night, the Nashville mainstay kicked off her Heartfirst Tour at the iconic New York City venue, one day after dropping Subject to Change, her fantastic fourth studio album.

Because of the coronavirus crisis, Ballerini, 29, hasn't hit the road for a headlining tour since 2019. And early in the show, she opened up about returning to the stage and reconnecting with her fans.

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Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Kelsea Ballerini

"I have lived a lot of life, and the fact that I just get to kick off this next chapter of music in this freaking amazing, beautiful city, with you tonight, at this iconic venue, just means the whole entire world to me, so thank you for showing up," Ballerini told the packed crowd.

"We've worked so hard on this show, and all I want for you to know is this is a safe room, and I want you to know that if you want to just dance — like, lose your mind, do it. I'm gonna. If you wanna scream-sing all the wrong words because the record just came out yesterday, do it. I just want you to know, in this room, for the next 90 minutes, you are seen, heard, loved and accepted, alright?"

Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Kelsea Ballerini

Throughout the evening, Ballerini showcased why she's one of modern country's brightest stars. Much of the setlist was occupied by tracks off Subject to Change — as it should; the LP is Ballerini's strongest to date. Some highlights: "Muscle Memory," "Doin' My Best" and "Love Is a Cowboy," which Ballerini infused with some lines from The Chicks' "Cowboy Take Me Away."

Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Kelsea Ballerini

But there were plenty of nostalgic moments, too. Ballerini delivered a medley of her early hits ("Yeah Boy," "Dibs," "Love Me Like You Mean It"), as well as her breakout smash "Peter Pan." And midway through the show, she revealed she'll be performing a different fan-voted deep cut at each tour stop. For her first outing, Ballerini sang the Unapologetically kiss-off "Get Over Yourself."

Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Kelsea Ballerini

The Heartfirst Tour was also the first time Ballerini could perform songs off her self-titled 2020 album, which dropped the week the world shut down, on the road. Past singles including "Half of My Hometown," "Homecoming Queen" (performed as a duet with opener Georgia Webster) and "Hole in the Bottle" were crowd-pleasing sing-alongs. And the latter wasn't Ballerini's only boozy bop. She also sang her Subject to Change standout "You're Drunk, Go Home" — after throwing back a tequila shot with her band.

Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Kelsea Ballerini

All night long, Ballerini effortlessly went from twang, to Top 40 fare (her Chainsmokers collab "This Feeling" even popped up). And her costume changes were just as seamless: She had four different looks — a yellow dress mirroring the Subject to Change cover art; a glittering fringe number; a crystal-encrusted black catsuit; and a Canadian tuxedo with a white crop top — with some mini-reveals sprinkled throughout.

As the concert began to wind down, Ballerini, who recently filed for divorce from husband Morgan Evans, thanked her fans and shared some words of wisdom as she revealed that a dollar from every ticket sold will go to the Feel Your Way Through Charitable Fund, which donates money to mental health organizations.

Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Kelsea Ballerini

"Change is inevitable. Change is a part of life. It is necessary. And when we allow it to just happen to us and pass through us and deal with it as it comes, instead of fearing it, there's a lot more room to live and enjoy. I just realized that what I have may look different tomorrow, but what is meant for me is mine and what is meant for you is yours," she said before performing "What I Have," a new ballad. "In this moment, I can't remember the last time I felt more grateful for what I have."