'To Me, Scent Is Such a Powerful Sense' – Kelsea Ballerini's New $45 Candle Embodies Healing Through Heartbreak With Warm Amber and Light Iris
Kelsea collaborated with Ranger Station to create a balanced fragrance called 'Burn the Baggage,' inspired by the third track on her 2024 album
Fragrance is deeply attached to emotion and memory. This was top of mind for Kelsea Ballerini when she collaborated with Ranger Station to develop her new Burn the Baggage Candle.
The country singer has long expressed her love of the Nashville-based brand, especially their Nashville Candle, but this latest development is a new stage in their relationship. Kelsea explains: 'Anyone who knows me knows that wherever I am – bus, hotel, or home – I’m going to have enough candles lit to be a fire hazard, and I’ve been a Ranger Station diehard for years. To me, scent is such a powerful sense that can make you feel nostalgic or peaceful, highlight your favorite season or holiday, or help invigorate new ideas or beginnings.'
Thus, her candle is crafted to reflect the stages of healing from heartbreak. Named after the third track on Kelsea's 2024 album Patterns, the complex scent of 'Burn the Baggage' captures the highs and lows of love and loss.
The vessel features a playful 'meter of healing' graphic, with each stage of burned wax representing growth. Once the wax is gone, the vessel becomes a cocktail glass, perfect for pairing with the enclosed ‘I Rode Off Into the Tequila Sunset’ cocktail recipe.
If you've recently gone through a breakup or are looking for a gift for someone who has, this might just be the best candle on the market.
Of course, Kelsea adores the scent, which tops her list of best fall candles. The country singer explains: '"Burn the Baggage" is my favorite kind of fragrance, a bit of a grounded warm amber and a bit of a comfortable light iris. We wanted to tell the story of the journey of the duality of hurting and healing, and as you burn the candle, I hope it keeps you company on whatever journey you’re on.'
The beautiful scent was just as transformative for the perfumer (and Ranger Station founder) who helped her create it, Steve Soderholm. In fact, he never enjoyed floral scents until this collaboration gave him the chance to explore using them in an alternative way.
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He states: '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.' Talk about elevated home fragrances.
Of the process, Steve adds: 'Tennessee Iris, the state flower, has long been a favorite of mine because it’s the floral for people who don’t usually like florals. You can pull oil from the flower and the root (orris butter), which allowed me to create a floral scent that was equally earthy. I love the dichotomy it represents – heartbreak and new beginnings. We’ve all been there in one form or another, and it shapes who we are. I think people will connect with this scent in their own way, and I couldn’t be more excited to share it with the world.'
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Fragrance is always a personal journey, but with this kind of consideration and process, it becomes even more so. Kelsea Ballerini teaches that healing can be as simple as lighting the wick.

Sophie is a writer and News Editor on the Celebrity Style team at Homes & Gardens. She is fascinated by the intersection of design and popular culture and is particularly passionate about researching trends and interior history. She is an avid pop culture fan and has interviewed Martha Stewart and Hillary Duff.
In her free time, Sophie freelances on design news for Westport Magazine and Livingetc. She also has a newsletter, My Friend's Art, in which she covers music, culture, and fine art through a personal lens. Her fiction has appeared in Love & Squalor and The Isis Magazine.
Before joining Future, Sophie worked in editorial at Fig Linens and Home, a boutique luxury linens brand. She has an MSc from Oxford University and a BA in Creative Writing and Sociology from Sarah Lawrence College.
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