Kelsea Ballerini Says She Has ‘A Lot More Grace’ for Her Divorced Parents Following Her Split From Morgan Evans

slain at the Nashville Covenant School shooting last Monday and recounted her own experience of being in a school shooting in Knoxville, Tennessee.“The community of sorrow over this and the 130 mass shootings in the U.S. this year alone stretches from coast to coast,” the 29-year-old singer said.“I wanted to personally stand up here and share this moment because on Aug.

Making a statement — or two. Kelsea Ballerini did more than just host the 2023 CMT Music Awards on Sunday, April 2.

Iconic!!

Chase Stokes was one proud boyfriend during Sunday night’s 2023 CMT Music Awards.

Chris Willman Senior Music Writer and Chief Music Critic During the opening monolog at Sunday night’s CMT Music Awards, broadcast from Austin on CBS, there was a comedic bit in which Kelsea Ballerini and Kane Brown exchanged anniversary presents to celebrate their cohosting of the show for the third consecutive time. Brown gave Ballerini a cowboy hat, and she reciprocated by giving him a pink hat to put on in return. At least a few audience members shared a joke about the exchange: By wearing pink, would Brown be breaking Tennessee’s recently passed law that some believe would ban most drag performances in the state, if they were back home? Viewers whose minds went there during that silly opening were just kidding — but Ballerini really went there later in the three-hour telecast, when she chose four “RuPaul’s Drag Race” queens to perform with her as she sang “If You Go Down (I’m Goin’ Down Too).” That song, off her 2022 album “Subject to Change,” is Ballerini’s anthem of female friendship — and, with the way the CMT Awards routine played out, she very much seemed to be counting drag performers as among those friends. The performance was playful and ostensibly non-political, and in a different year might not have raised very many shaved or unshaved eyebrows. In spring 2023, it was hard to read it as anything other than a statement of: If drag queens are brought down, the rest of us will be dragged down with them.

Kelsea Ballerini made her feelings about the Tennessee drag ban known during her performance at the 2023 CMT Music Awards Sunday.

Chase Stokes couldn't help but fanboy during girlfriend Kelsea Ballerini's CMT Music Awards performance. The 30-year-old  star was spotted dancing and singing along to Ballerini's «If You Go Down (I'm Goin' Down Too)» during Sunday's awards ceremony. In a video shared on Instagram by CMT, Stokes was all smiles while lip syncing and shaking his hips to the beat.

Kelsea Ballerini made her feelings about the Tennessee drag ban known during her performance at the 2023 CMT Music Awards Sunday.Ballerini, who also served as the night's co-host, transported the audience backyard barbecue in the '60s, where she was surrounded by a bevy of drag queens while belting out her hit, «If You Go Down (I'm Goin' Down Too).»The group served as Ballerini's backup dancers, while the singer sang and strummed along on a pink guitar. After throwing her long, green coat to the side, Ballerini showed off a yellow two-piece, which she strutted her stuff in while the drag queens followed behind — all dressed in their best '60s-inspired wears.The performance ended with a flutter of confetti that was illuminated with rainbow stage lights, which made Ballerini's stance loud and clear.ET spoke to the drag queens — Kennedy Davenport, Manila Luzon, Jan Sport and Oliva Lux — that performed alongside the «Penthouse» singer, who shared the importance of taking the stage with Ballerini.«Just like all these amazing country music artists, we drag queens are also artists.

She’s all that! Kelsea Ballerini didn’t only slay as cohost of the 2023 CMT Music Awards, but she served stellar looks too.

Date night at the CMT Music Awards! Several stars brought dates to the red carpet in Austin on Sunday, April 2, including both cohosts, Kane Brown and Kelsea Ballerini.

Kelsea Ballerini opened the 2023 CMT Music Awards with a call to action regarding last week's shooting in Nashville, Tennessee, also telling audiences she is the survivor of a 2008 school shooting in the same state. «On March 27, 2023, three 9-year-olds -- Evelyn Dieckhaus, William Kinney and Hallie Scruggs -- along with Dr. Katherine Koonce, Cynthia Peak and Mike Hill walked into Covenant School and didn't walk out,» Ballerini began the CMT broadcast.«The community of sorrow over this and the 130 mass shootings in the U.S.

Paying tribute. Kelsea Ballerini honored victims of the Nashville, Tennessee, Covenant School shooting at the start of the 2023 CMT Awards on Sunday, April 2.

A major milestone! Kelsea Ballerini and Chase Stokes were all smiles during their red carpet debut at the 2023 CMT Music Awards on Sunday, April 2.

(Almost) nailed it! Kelsea Ballerini’s manicure was the talk of the night at her concert in Wichita, Kansas.

As Kelsea Ballerini continues to discuss her bitter divorce from fellow country music star Morgan Evans, she’s now opening up about the physical toll of the split.

Real talk. Kelsea Ballerini revealed how her divorce from Morgan Evans affected her physical appearance — and detailed the not-so-glamourous side of hair extensions.

Former President Donald Trump said that he expected to be arrested on Tuesday as part of the Manhattan District Attorney’s investigation, while he also called on his supporters to protest the move.

Finding his fresh start. Morgan Evans released a new song reflecting on big life changes in the wake of his divorce from Kelsea Ballerini.

Leaning in. Kelsea Ballerini earned such a big response after changing her “Blindsided” lyrics on Saturday Night Live that she released new merchandise to go with the shady verse.

Kelsea Ballerini knows what some people are saying about her love life.