Conroe Courier September 20, 2023

In an audition interview for CBS’s Superfan show, Willis resident Kristen Kuhl said she’s listened to country music all her life, but never connected to an artist like award-winning Country singer Kelsea Ballerini.

Kuhl, 26, said when she listens to Ballerini’s songs, it feels like getting advice from a best friend or big sister.

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“I’m Kelsea Ballerini’s number one fan,” she said in the audition for the show.

Superfan, which premiered Aug. 9 on CBS, is a musical game show where contestants compete in multiple rounds to prove that they are their favorite artist’s most deserving supporter.

Kuhl is slated to make her TV debut in an episode that airs at 8 p.m. Wednesday and will compete against four contestants to show how much Ballerini has impacted their lives.

The show was created by TV personality Keltie Knight and former network executive Jodi Roth. 

In the latest episode viewers will be able to vote between two finalists through Twitter, said Phoebe Brenner, publicity assistant for the communications department at CBS Entertainment. 

If Kuhl is chosen as the winner, she will receive a prize package from Ballerini. 

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While some may see the show as quirky, Kuhl said it’s another way for people to connect through music. 

“The really cool thing about music is that it’s universal and every song tells a story,” Kuhl told The Courier. “People relate to those stories in their own way with their own life. And Superfan honors that and brings it together in such a fun and competitive way. Everyone that I’ve talked to has loved the show because of that. They can connect and relate, even if they have no idea who the artist is.” 

Kuhl first heard of Ballerini when she was a student at Willis High School, she said in her audition interview. It wasn’t until she saw Ballerini live in Nashville that she became invested in her music.

“What her story tells from her music is exactly what I went through growing up and where I am now,” Kuhl said, noting Ballerini’s song Half of my Hometown.

Kuhl said she saw an opportunity to apply to be on the show through social media.

In April 2022, Kuhl flew out to Los Angeles and sat in a studio filled with other Ballerini fans, she said. She didn’t realize that she would be one of the five contestants until filming began, which was immediately during her visit. 

There, she was able to meet her favorite artist, she said.

“I would say it blew my expectations out of the water,” Kuhl said. “She’s just such a kind and real person. And sometimes that’s rare to find in the world.”