Kelsea Ballerini is not here for your “Divorce Party” balloon bouquets or champagne toasts over heartbreak. While some fans may be showing up to her concerts waving “Just Got Divorced” signs like they’re at a bachelorette bash, Ballerini’s message is a little more grounded—and a whole lot more real.
In her *Elle* magazine interview, the 31-year-old country star opened up about the emotional tightrope she’s been walking since releasing “Rolling Up the Welcome Mat”, her raw, lyrical journey through her divorce from fellow musician Morgan Evans. Sure, the album struck a chord. And yes, people connected to it—deeply. But behind the scenes, Ballerini admits she was terrified the night before it dropped.
And the next morning? Relief. Resonance. A wave of support. But still, no interest in wearing a crown as the “poster child for divorce.”
Let’s be clear: Ballerini’s not shaming anyone for moving on, healing, or even celebrating a sense of freedom. She just doesn’t think we should “glorify” the grief it takes to get there.
“It needs to be destigmatized,” she said, “but I also don’t think it should be celebrated or glamorized.” It’s a line she’s drawing with care—and compassion. When fans approach her with stories of their own breakups, her first instinct isn’t to pop the confetti. It’s to ask, “Are you OK?”
Three years out from her split, Ballerini says divorce no longer defines her. Her life looks wildly different now—thankfully. She’s found new love with “Outer Banks” star Chase Stokes, and the two have taken the leap to move in together.
But even this happy chapter isn’t a rom-com montage. They work at it. They fly cross-country. They choose each other in the same way they choose their careers—with effort, intention, and zero illusions about convenience.
And while love is blooming again, Ballerini’s still writing about life’s “growing pains,” because that’s where she finds the real music. Her new album “Patterns” carries the same emotional fingerprints—heartbreak, recovery, and the clumsy art of learning to love again.
Even her love song “First Rodeo” starts from a place of self-doubt and emotional whiplash. “I felt like damaged goods,” she says, “but now I want to try this again.”
That’s Kelsea’s story in a nutshell: not picture-perfect, not preachy—just honest. Divorce didn’t break her. It reshaped her. And she’s still figuring it out, guitar in hand, writing songs that don’t skip the hard parts.
