After three years of relationship, Kelsea Ballerini and Chase Stokes have damaged up, Folks reported on Sunday. Whereas no particular motive for the break up was given, sources near the couple advised the journal that the nation singer and Outer Banks star, each 32, are “two adults who gave it their all and tried to do every little thing they might to make it work, however in the end couldn’t,” noting “it occurs.”
Followers, nonetheless, are taking the break up fairly laborious. One particular person commented on Folks’s put up concerning the information, “What?? I used to be anticipating an engagement announcement !!!” One other added, “I’m heartbroken over this.” And lots extra refused to imagine the information till they heard it immediately from the couple themselves. (Whereas neither has addressed the breakup on social media, Ballerini’s rep confirmed the breakup to Folks.)
In fact, it’s no shock that the duo is sparking an emotional response, given how public the 2 have been — and the way their story was all about discovering love after heartbreak. Right here’s a rundown of the Stokes-Ballerini romance.
How Chase Stokes and Kelsea Ballerini met
Although Stokes and Ballerini are each within the leisure business, they really met over Instagram in December 2022. By January 2023, the 2 have been already noticed on the 2023 Faculty Soccer Playoff Nationwide Championship in Los Angeles, the place Stokes posted a pic of the pair trying cozy on Instagram.
In a February 2023 episode of Name Her Daddy, Ballerini confirmed her relationship with Stokes, whom she stated she linked with after her supervisor urged she pursue him. Ballerini stated she slid proper into his DMs with the phrases “Hello Chase Stokes” after the 2 started following one. She stated she had not but watched his Netflix hit Outer Banks — she simply thought he was cute.
Previous to connecting with Stokes, Ballerini had lately break up from her husband, nation music singer Morgan Evans. The 2 finalized their divorce in November 2022.
“I used to be able to open again up,” Ballerini defined to host Alex Cooper. “I simply felt, why not? I’ve by no means actually dated; I do not know the way it works. I am like, ‘Let’s simply put ourselves on the market; let’s simply vibe.’ And it has been enjoyable.”
A public romance
Following the Name Her Daddy interview, Stokes and Ballerini weren’t shy about displaying off their budding romance. Along with repeatedly posting about one another on social media, Stokes complimented girlfriend Ballerini’s music throughout his look on Right this moment. He was additionally seen strolling hand-in-hand in New York Metropolis with Ballerini through the week of her Saturday Evening Reside efficiency. On the identical time, the 2 repeatedly shared updates on their life collectively by way of social media posts.
However the two made their official purple carpet debut on the CMT Awards in April, which Ballerini cohosted alongside Kane Brown. The 2 stayed further shut as photographers snapped their images.
Chase Stokes and Kelsea Ballerini on the 2025 Academy of Nation Music Awards. (Taylor Hill/WireImage by way of Getty Photos)
In a July 2023 interview with Stylecaster, Ballerini defined why she’s snug sharing her relationship with the general public. “The factor that we’ve determined, and to every their very own, is whenever you’re with somebody that you simply really feel safe with and that you simply’re proud to be with, why not share it?” she stated.
She additionally stated that each she and Stokes are “Labrador retrievers in human type.”
“It doesn’t take a lot dialog to be on the identical web page,” she stated. “It’s been half a 12 months, and it’s been nice.”
Ballerini additionally wound again the clock in August 2023, sharing on TikTok a video that she despatched her greatest buddy previous to her first date with Stokes. “I can do that. It’s only a date,” a clearly nervous Ballerini stated within the video. “You simply go and also you eat meals and also you speak about issues that you simply do.”
The couple additionally walked the purple carpet collectively on the MTV Video Music Awards in September of that 12 months, which occurred to coincide with Ballerini’s thirtieth birthday on Sept. 12. Within the caption of a photograph dump on Instagram, Stokes wrote, “soiled 30 appears fairly rattling good on you ballerini. i like you.”
And simply 4 days later, Ballerini did the identical factor for Stokes’s birthday on Sept. 16, writing, “comfortable birthday my candy virgo” within the caption on her Instagram carousel.
Ballerini writes love songs for Stokes
Love songs about her relationship with Stokes appeared on Ballerini’s fifth studio album, Patterns, which dropped in October 2024.
“He heard [the album] because it was taking place,” Ballerini advised Teen Vogue throughout a Patterns listening social gathering. “That is the primary time that I’ve gotten to make a document the place he is been part of the entire course of. He could be FaceTiming into the studio with the musicians. It was actually enjoyable to convey him alongside for the entire course of and be [not only] such a stupendous a part of the lifetime of this document however of the method too.
These songs embrace “First Rodeo,” which Ballerini advised Right this moment was the “past love track” she wrote for her boyfriend. “Actually, it is primarily the primary track the place it is form of like, ‘OK, I really feel a little bit fragile, I really feel a little bit scared to open myself as much as the capability that I wish to, however I like love, and I actually love you,’” she stated. Stokes additionally appeared within the music video.
In November 2023, Ballerini returned to Name Her Daddy, the place she up to date Cooper on her love life.
“He’s essentially the most emotionally clever man I’ve ever met in my life,” the singer gushed. “I hold telling him he’s a person written by a girl.”
The couple develop nearer
Ballerini kicked off 2024 with an anniversary Instagram put up celebrating her yearlong romance with Stokes, which included images of the couple. She captioned the pics, “A complete journey across the solar with my bestie. @hichasestokes thanks for making me write love songs.”
Chase Stokes and Kelsea Ballerini on the 2025 Grammy Awards. (Kevin Mazur/Getty Photos for The Recording Academy)
Stokes responded together with his personal Instagram put up, which he captioned “One 12 months of lovin you. p.s. advised ya I wouldn’t embarrass you.”
The subsequent 12 months was stuffed with firsts for the couple, together with strolling the carpet as a pair on the Met Gala in Might. In October, Ballerini stated in an interview with Those who the 2 formally moved in collectively.
And on Thanksgiving, Ballerini shared images on Instagram of herself and Stokes serving to to cook dinner her household dinner.
Ballerini talks about how relationships take work
In an April 2025 interview with Folks, the five-time Grammy nominee stated she and Stokes should not shy about tackling any points they’ve.
“Now my model of affection that I’ve discovered, it’s regular and it’s human, and we work on it,” she stated on the time. “That to me, actually, is the sexiest factor, like, ‘Hey, you wish to go to remedy? Let’s go to remedy.’ Being so down along with your particular person to place within the work for one another and individually, it’s a really new form of love for me.”
She additionally stated remedy helped the couple “present one another the issues that we wish to get higher at.”
Chase Stokes and Kelsea Ballerini with Jelly Roll. (John Shearer/Getty Photos for ACM)
“Chase and I have been like, ‘What are our targets for the 12 months?’ And we stated we wish to be hotter, funnier and extra formidable … one of the best model of ourselves,” Ballerini stated.
Ballerini additionally advised Us Weekly in July 2025 that it’s essential for {couples} to problem one another — “or it’s boring and you then’re stagnant after which that’s not going to work out,” she defined.
“I feel we’re two and a half years in, so [the relationship] appears quite a bit completely different now than it did to start with,” she stated.
Breakup rumors floor
However in August 2025, followers began speculating that there may be bother in Ballerini and Stokes’s relationship when she seemingly deleted a July Fourth photograph dump that included pics of her then boyfriend. Nonetheless, followers believed all was effectively in August, when the Uglies star shared an Instagram story that includes Ballerini’s canine.
On Sept. 12, followers breathed a sigh of reduction when Stokes posted a collection of images on Instagram honoring Ballerini’s birthday with the caption, “though you retain saying you’re not excited for 32, id say I’m lookin ahead to extra of this. comfortable birthday my love.” Ballerini didn’t touch upon the put up.
