From the front porch of her home in Nashville, Kelsea Ballerini recalls being a “warm vanilla sugar” kid. “It’s the first thing that I remember loving the smell of,” the five-time Grammy-nominated artist told WWD. “There’s something about the smell that makes you feel like you have fuzzy socks and a big oversize sweater on; it feels relaxed and calm.”

Such are the feelings evoked in her new candle, “Burn the Baggage,” made in collaboration with Nashville-based perfumer Ranger Station. Available now online and in Ranger Station stores, as well as on Revolve, the eight-ounce candle emits a floral yet woody aroma, bolstered by notes of orris, Tennessee iris and sandalwood.

Soft yet complex, the candle is a sensorial scent journey through the stages of healing after heartbreak, inspired by Ballerini’s hit song, “Baggage,” from her fifth studio album. Once burned, the melted candle wax is meant to symbolize the pain and consequence left behind after a breakup. “It just felt like the perfect kind of metaphor for a candle,” Ballerini says of “Baggage,” which was released in October 2024 and has since amassed over 48 million streams on Spotify. “But it also plays into the song that I think people have gravitated towards the most on the record.”

When the wax is completely gone, the experience is re-enlivened the Ranger Station way: through a complimentary cocktail recipe. Titled “I Rode Off Into the Tequila Sunset,” Ballerini’s tequila-based drink playfully nods to another one of her popular ballads, “First Rodeo.”

As a self-proclaimed “candle girly,” the mode for relaxation has always been rooted firmly in Ballerini’s wellness routine, in addition to a 30-minute hot girl walk on the treadmill every day and lots of supplements. “If I’m on my tour bus or in a hotel room, it’s a fire hazard. I just always have candles going,” Ballerini notes. Her introduction to Ranger Station’s offerings, specifically, far preceded her first meeting with the cofounders, Steve Soderholm and Jordan Soderholm, which took place a little over a year ago. “I’ve always been a fan of their candles, especially being locally made, and by the sweetest husband and wife team,” she says.

The feeling was mutual. In fact, Steve and Jordan were adamant on making Ballerini the first female collaborator for Ranger Station after launching partnerships with country music bigwigs Dan and Shay and Noah Kahan. Conceptualizing Ballerini’s fragrance, in turn, allowed Steve to lean into an aroma he’s seldom used.

“Every perfume has a style, and florals usually aren’t mine. Part of the reason I started Ranger Station was because there were so many overly floral scents and I wanted something different. Even still, florals kept haunting me and I always wanted to approach them in a way that didn’t feel too floral,” Steve explained in the official press release. “Kelsea gave me the perfect opportunity to do so. From the beginning, she wanted to tell a story of two things: heartbreak and growth. Burning the baggage and coming out stronger on the other side. I knew this was my chance to lean into blending a floral with earthy, woodsy amber notes to capture those dual experiences.”

The launch of “Burn the Baggage” is also coinciding with the expanded release of “Patterns” and two-limited deluxe editions. While Ballerini anticipates her fans to buy up her Ranger Station candle, she hopes others outside of her fandom will be drawn to the scent, too.

“I hope that people find it just either in Nashville stopping by the Ranger Station store or through Revolve, whether they know and enjoy my music or not. I think it’s a candle that should be on everyone’s bedside table this November,” Ballerini says.

Ten percent of all proceeds will be donated to Porter’s Call, a nonprofit organization working as a mental health hotline for recording artists and their loved ones.