Kelsea Ballerini

But in less than 10 months, if it seems like Ballerini is everywhere right now, it’s because she is.

In September alone, Ballerini shared top billing with Steven Tyler to announce Country Music Association award nominees to a national audience on ABC. A couple of weeks later, she was inducted into Taylor Swift’s “girl squad” with a guest turn onstage at Swift’s Bridgestone Arena show in her hometown. And she closed out the month with an appearance on “Jimmy Kimmel Live.”

CAA’s John Huie says it’s not a misperception that Ballerini seems ubiquitous at the moment. But her days of catching red-eyes to Reno for low-paying gigs are over.

“The label, management and agency all said, ‘We’re not going to wait until we have success; we are going to go out there and establish ourselves as a real act.’” Huie told Pollstar. “Women for the most part don’t get the credit they deserve, and people say women don’t sell tickets. So we decided we have to go out there and build a story and build a base.

“In the beginning, we took every opportunity that came our way. Now, we’re making sure it’s the right opportunity,” Huie said.

Huie and CAA’s Marc Dennis, along with manager Fletcher Foster of Iconic Entertainment Group and her label, Black River Entertainment, gambled and look to be winning big.

Ballerini’s already made her Grand Ole Opry debut and recently wrapped CMT’s Next Women of Country tour. She will take a turn of small rooms with Dan + Shay, head for Europe, Australia and New Zealand in spring, and plans are afoot to tour with Rascal Flatts next year, Huie said.

This year, she’ll be spending New Year’s Eve in Nashville – onstage with Kings of Leon at the Bash on Broadway.

“She has the chops, and the personality to go with it. She’s a great songwriter, singer and performer. She’s a star,” Huie said.