Watch Kelsea Ballerini’s Tearful Reaction to the News of Hitting No. 1

Newcomer Kelsea Ballerini is quickly making a name for herself in country music, and that includes hitting No. 1 with her debut single, “Love Me Like You Mean It." Ballerini posted a video of her reaction to the news, and it’s a touching display of true heartfelt gratitude.

“Guys, we did it!” she says several times, through tears, after hearing the news from her team.

This victory is not only one for Ballerini, but all women in country music. This is the first time since 2006 that a female artist has had a debut single go to the top of the charts, and Ballerini is one of only 11 artists to do so ever. The 21-year-old is also the first solo female artist to top the Billboard airplay chart since Carrie Underwood did it in 2012 with “Blown Away,” according to the Washington Post.

These jarring statistics are reflective of recent controversy over the lack of female presence on country radio, nicknamed #SaladGate after a controversial comment from radio consultant Keith Hill referencing male artists as the “lettuce” of the country music salad, inferring that female artists as the less-important “tomatoes.”

Needless to say, Ballerini’s success is a welcome change.

Artists like Underwood, Martina McBride and Dierks Bentley, and others all rallied together to support Ballerini after the news broke, congratulating her on her accomplishment via Twitter. Ballerini may be a new face, but at this rate, we’ll be seeing a lot more of her. She is currently touring the country, making history and preparing to release her second single, "Dibs."

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