Kelsea Ballerini Brought Us Behind-the-Scenes for Her Golden Glam at the 2026 Grammys
Her album, Patterns, was nominated for Best Contemporary Country Album at this year’s show.
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Kelsea Ballerini is no stranger to the Grammy Awards. The singer-songwriter has been attending music’s biggest night since the early days of her bustling career as a country artist. In 2017, she secured her first nomination in the Best New Artist category and took the stage to perform her breakout hit, “Peter Pan,” alongside Lukas Graham for a mash-up with his song, “7 Years.”
Nearly a decade later, Kelsea is a heavyweight in the genre thanks to her songwriting prowess that blends contemporary country elements with pop flair. Over the years, she’s collaborated with artists like Noah Kahan and Fletcher and sat in the top 10 of the Billboard 200 chart thanks to her albums, Unapologetically and Patterns—the latter of which was nominated at this year’s Grammys for its new Best Contemporary Country Album category.
To celebrate, Kelsea brought Cosmopolitan along as she got glammed up for her big night and let us in on her secrets to successfully enjoying the awards show (spoiler alert: coffee and CoverGirl were definitely involved). She dropped us never-before-seen pics of her GRWM process with captions from her POV of the glimmering night.
“Starting the day with a good coffee (oat milk latte, one pump vanilla), workout (today I did 45 minutes treadmill just to wake up my body) and skincare routine (always add gua sha or face ice bath on big days like this) almost feels meditative, and quietly sets the tone for me to stay present and feel good.”
“When the initial sketches came through in November, my jaw literally dropped- I loved every single one. We ultimately chose the green beaded design, it felt like the perfect combination of honoring Patterns but also a nod to my latest EP Mount Pleasant. ETRO flew Marco, their Head of VIP, from Milan to Nashville for the muslin fitting, and then it was hand-beaded in India. The entire experience was incredibly special, and having a custom piece created for such a meaningful night is pretty magical.”
“ETRO initially created two intricately embellished beaded designs in distinct color palettes—one in emerald green, and the other a golden brown with green shimmers woven throughout, which we all instantly gravitated toward. The palette is warm and metallic, blending antique gold, champagne, bronze, olive, and subtle hints of silver. The beads are arranged in a swirling, paisley-like pattern—and, of course, we know I love a pattern. ;)”
“This was a surprise touch from the designers and my stylists at our final fitting. I lost my soul dog, Dibs, a few weeks ago, and having him close to my heart for the night made it feel more sentimental. A beautiful reminder he’s always with me.”
“The shoes are so high, but to make sure the beading hit the ground perfectly, we had to go high, high, high (I was giving 6’2”). We kept the jewelry minimal, opting for a few statement pieces that complemented the beading and color story of the dress. Peep the ring. Period.”
“My CoverGirl looks always make me feel easy breezy and myself. For the Grammys, I’m wearing CoverGirl’s TruBlend Skin Enhancer Baked Blush and Bronzer for a glam look that still feels like me. It’s the type of makeup that enhances your skin, rather than completely taking it over.”
“Zola and I sent photos back and forth for days trying to curate the perfect neutral but Patterns-coded nail art that didn’t feel like it would clash or clutter the whole look. I will be talking with my hands for the next three weeks.”
“For my album Patterns to be nominated for Best Contemporary Country Album, the first year the Recording Academy created the category, feels like a win within itself. I wrote this album with four women who are my friends, peers, and heroes. That’s the award.”
“Chris and I wanted the hair back and up to showcase the dress’s high neck and low back, but wanted something structural to keep the look feeling young with a little edge.”
“I did indeed have to take Advil for my head because it was a SNATCH.”
“My dream glam team doing their thing. Feat. Kelsey Deenihan and Chris Appleton ❤️✨”
“No matter the outcome, sharing this night with my producing partner and dear friend Alysa Vanderhym was everything—and doesn’t she look gorgeous? Work wife forever.”
“Glam, nerves, beta blocker, LFG.”
“ETRO showed me these tasseled cheeky bottoms and I couldn't wait to give a little leg moment for the after parties.”
“I mean, I don't do pilates just for my health.”
Photos: Cibelle Levi. Jewelry: Sabyasachi. Makeup: Kelsey Deenihan. Hair: Chris Appleton. Styling: Rob and Mariel. Styling assistant: Jill Petry. Nails: Zola Ganzorigt.
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