Kelsea Ballerini and Chase Stokes Call It Quits
It’s not just the cowboys crying this September. It’s a sad day for the Venn diagram of people who like country music and just want Kelsea Ballerini to be happy. After three years together, the country singer and her long-term boyfriend, Chase Stokes, have broken up, Ballerini’s rep told People on Sunday. The split comes three days after the Outer Banks actor celebrated Ballerini’s 32nd birthday with an Instagram dump, featuring photos of the couple hanging out on private jets, chilling backstage, and eating crackers with a can of Easy Cheese.
“They’re two adults who gave it their all and tried to do everything they could to make it work, but ultimately couldn’t,” one source told the outlet. “It happens.”
As someone who found Ballerini’s music via her devastating divorce EP, Rolling Up the Welcome Mat, I was heartened to watch her find love again with Stokes. In 2022, she left her former husband and fellow country singer Morgan Evans after five years of marriage. She chronicled their slow-motion breakup in songs like “Blindsided,” “Leave Me Again,” and, my favorite, “Penthouse.”
In January 2023, it seemed there was a new suitor in Ballerini’s life. Fans spotted Stokes cuddled up to Ballerini at a Georgia-versus-TCU game. Three months later, they hard-launched their romance on the red carpet at the CMT Awards. Stokes, also 32, inspired several songs on the country star’s 2024 studio album Patterns, including, tragically, “To the Men That Love Women After Heartbreak.” Sob.
To borrow the words of one sage Tyra Banks: “I WAS ROOTING FOR YOU! WE WERE ALL ROOTING FOR YOU!” Stokes, who heavily documented his relationship with Ballerini on Instagram, seemed to adore his partner, accompanying her to the Met Gala, carrying her around like a little sloth, and generally being an all-around supportive boyfriend as her career sky-rocketed into the realm of pop. While it’s unclear exactly what went down, I will be busy snotting into my tissues while we await clarity and a probably equally devastating follow-up EP.
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