SUBJECT TO CHANGE is the fourth studio album by American singer-songwriter Kelsea Ballerini. Ballerini included several female collaborators, including Little Big Town's Karen Fairchild, a co-writer on "Subject to Change" and the project's first single, "Heartfirst." Alysa Vanderheym is a co-producer on the project, and wrote "Heartfirst" with Fairchild and Ballerini. In an interview with Billboard, Ballerini said
I intentionally wanted to write with more women this time. For me, when you are making a record about emotions, when you connect with a woman creatively, you're gonna be able to tap into that in a whole different way.
She also described The Corrs, Shania Twain, Trisha Yearwood, Sixpence None the Richer and Sheryl Crow as key influences for the album.