KELSEA BALLERINI
30 • Old soul
By Shania Twain
Kelsea Ballerini and I first met at a country-music awards show. I remember thinking back then how talented she was as a songwriter at such a young age. She’s an old soul in many ways. As a veteran songwriter, I’m always looking for authenticity, and I’m really inspired by clever songwriting—songwriting that is not only thought-provoking and meaningful but most of all original. Kelsea writes with all those qualities. She isn’t afraid to be vulnerable and really brave with her songwriting. She’s also a great friend. We have such a special relationship that is just so real, and that can be rare in our industry. I watch her work incredibly hard and challenge herself, but she also has fun, and that is wonderful to see. At this year’s CMT Awards, she performed with a full troupe of drag queens as her backup dancers, which was fabulous. She has a powerful sense of self in those moments: she knows exactly where her heart is, and she always leads with love and inclusivity.
Twain is a Grammy-winning singer-songwriter
COREY HAWKINS
34 • Transformative joy
By Suzan-Lori Parks
I’ve been a fan of Corey Hawkins for forever, so I was thrilled when he agreed to play Lincoln in my play Topdog/Underdog last year. Some actors get up onstage and—it’s OK to be just OK. But that’s not an option for Corey.
It’s hard for a brother, for a Black man, to be living in this world today. While there are so many opportunities open—the challenges are also bigger than ever before. And for Corey to be that powerful and that vulnerable onstage, in front of a live audience, night after night, takes tremendous talent and skill. When we won the Tony Award for Best Revival of a Play this spring, I said that Corey “played every night like there was no
