Ep 3. Kelsea Ballerini

In the third episode of season one of Songland, country pop star Kelsea Ballerini is the guest artist. During the show, four new songwriters will have the opportunity to pitch their original songs to Ballerini and the panel of top producers who will critique, hone and transform the tracks into hits.

First up is an up-and-coming songwriter from Nashville named Darius. His melodic pop country track draws inspiration from memories of his grandparents’ love story and their long-lasting marriage. The panel is overall impressed with his song, though one producer suggested that he should flip the melody in the bridge and chorus to capture the listener's attention even more.

Next, we meet an R&B songwriter, Able Heart, hailing from Los Angeles. His song, called "Greenlight," is about escaping from a world that doesn't understand and embracing your differences. The panel loves the vulnerability in his lyrics and the way his soulful voice delivers them, but they suggest changing the chorus melody to give it the final edge it needs.

The third songwriter of the night, Adam Friedman, brings a fresh new perspective with his "Be Nice" track. The song is about compassion and kindness, which is unusual in today's music landscape where a lot of songs talk about breaking up or heartache. Ballerini reacts favorably to the message of the song, however, the panel advises him to work on articulating the chorus better to make it more instantly memorable.

Last, but not least, is another Nashville-based artist named Steven McMorran. He brings a heart-wrenching track called "Amazed" inspired by his mother's fight with cancer and the love he has for her. The panel is taken aback by the beauty and raw honesty of the song and praise McMorran for his vocals and storytelling abilities.

After the songwriters pitch their tracks, we see Ballerini and the producers work closely with each songwriter on their tracks. They help each artist to refine and improve their sound, while also highlighting the unique qualities of their individual styles. The producers offer feedback, suggesting adjustments to the songs to make them more commercially viable while keeping intact the key elements of the songwriters’ original ideas.

In the end, Ballerini chooses the song that best fits her own sound and style. The track is then professionally recorded and released as a single, with the songwriter credited for his or her contribution. The recording is incredible to hear, as the producers and Ballerini manage to take each track to a whole new level while still respecting each songwriter’s original vision.

Overall, this episode of Songland delivers an inside look into the lives and creative processes of songwriters and the collaborative efforts between musicians and producers in creating chart-topping songs. The blend of different genres and styles of the songwriters’ music makes for an interesting and entertaining hour of television that anyone passionate about music should watch.