Kelsea Ballerini had all eyes on her at the 2025 CMA Awards, even in the midst of her breakup drama with Chase Stokes.
“You look unreal, oh, my God,” influencer Campbell “Pookie” Puckett told Ballerini, 32, in red carpet footage that was shared via Instagram Thursday, November 20. “You look unreal. I think this is one of the best I’ve ever seen you look — and you look amazing every time.”
Puckett, 33, further gushed that Ballerini was “just glowing in a different way” during the Wednesday, November 19, awards show.
“Thanks! Oh, my God, I needed this pep talk before I took photos on the carpet because it makes me so anxious,” Ballerini replied, breaking down her outfit details. “It’s very structural, so I’m not really sure what to do with my arms. It’s Christian Siriano, and I wanted it to be on theme with the music I just put out, which is very red and Emerald City and Wizard of Oz–esque.”
Country music’s biggest stars descended upon Nashville for the 2025 CMA Awards — and they looked good from the moment they arrived. The Wednesday, November 19, event ushered in a new era for the CMAs with Lainey Wilson hosting the awards show solo for the first time. Wilson previously cohosted the event with Luke Bryan […]
The Mount Pleasant musician walked the CMAs red carpet solo — hours before Us Weekly confirmed that Ballerini and Stokes, 33, called it quits again.
“It’s done,” a source exclusively told Us later on Thursday, claiming the pair’s relationship had gotten “so rocky and toxic.”
“It was too much for Kelsea,” the insider added, revealing “jealousy got in the way,” stemming from Ballerini’s trust issues following her 2022 divorce from Morgan Evans. “Chase really did try to make it work and loves her.”
According to the source, Ballerini and Stokes are “taking space” and have ceased communication.
“I’m blocked, I did nothing wrong. Sorry. I tried,” Stokes wrote in a series of cryptic Instagram Story messages on Thursday, alluding to the pair’s breakup. “I’m sorry for those who believed in us. It is what it is. Onwards and upwards.”
Kelsea Ballerini performs ‘I Sit in Parks’ at the 2025 CMAs on Wednesday, November 19. Jason Kempin/Getty Images
Neither Ballerini nor Stokes have further addressed their split, and their reps were unable to be reached for comment.
Ballerini and Stokes started dating in 2023 when the “I Sit in Parks” singer reached out via social media.
“I was ready to open back up [after my divorce]. I just felt, ‘Why not? I’ve never really dated. I don’t know how it works,’” Ballerini previously said on the “Call Her Daddy” podcast that year. “I’m like, ‘Let’s just put ourselves out there. Let’s just vibe.’ And it’s been fun. I slid into his DMs. I just swan-dove right on in. His handle is ‘hichasestokes’ and I just said, ‘Hi, Chase Stokes.’”
After two years of dating and frequent red carpet joint appearances, Us confirmed in September that Ballerini and the Outer Banks star broke up.
“It was a hard split,” a second source told Us at the time. “They had been arguing a lot recently, and their communication wasn’t great in the last month. They were both traveling so much and trying to juggle everything, and the arguments piled up.”
Weeks later, Ballerini and Stokes quietly rekindled their romance after they were spotted together in both Scotland and Croatia.