Kelsea Ballerini and Chase Stokes Split Just Days After His Birthday Tribute
LATEST 9/14/25, 5:18 p.m. ET — On Sunday, September 14, a spokesperson for Kelsea Ballerini informed Us Weekly that the country star and Chase Stokes had ended their relationship, a mere two days after he posted a special message celebrating her birthday.
The initial report is presented below:
Chase Stokes ensured his girlfriend Kelsea Ballerini’s 32nd birthday was marked with significant celebration.
“Even though you keep mentioning your lack of enthusiasm for turning 32, I believe I’m anticipating more moments like these,” Stokes, who is also 32, wrote alongside a series of Instagram photos on Friday, September 12. “Happy birthday, my dear .”
Stokes shared several pictures of himself and Ballerini, one of which showed them seated near the court at a New York Knicks match, with actor Ben Stiller partially cut out of the frame.
“My apologies, @benstiller,” Stokes quipped in the Instagram comments regarding the poorly cropped photo.
Chase Stokes's Response Was Spot-On When Kelsea Ballerini Sent Him a Direct Message
Stokes and Ballerini began their romance in early 2023, having first met through an online social network.
“I initiated contact by messaging him directly,” Ballerini disclosed during an appearance on the “Call Her Daddy” podcast in February 2023. “I jumped straight in. His username was ‘hichasestokes,’ so I simply typed, ‘Hi Chase Stokes.’”
Several months subsequent, the country artist again joined Alex Cooper’s podcast to discuss the progression of their romance.
“He possesses the highest level of emotional intelligence I have encountered,” she stated during a November 2023 installment of the podcast. “I often tell him he seems like a character imagined by a female author.”
Ballerini mentioned that her perspective on intimacy shifted after she started her relationship with Stokes.
“My previous experiences with it felt largely like an act, done for the benefit of the other individual,” Ballerini, who was wed to Morgan Evans for half a decade before their 2022 divorce, further explained. “That’s no longer the case. I hadn’t grasped how [intimacy] could genuinely link two people in a partnership. I used to perceive it merely as an activity. … Presently, I understand it serves as a bond between individuals.”
Ballerini and Stokes frequently provide insights into their romantic journey through social media platforms or during public appearances at events.
A Chronology of Kelsea Ballerini and Chase Stokes' Romance
“There was one red carpet event where it appeared as though we had meticulously coordinated our outfits,” Stokes playfully told Us Weekly in an exclusive interview in March 2024, likely hinting at their matching red attire at the 2023 MTV Video Music Awards. “That was completely by chance. We don’t actively aim to ‘match.’ Our goal is simply to ensure our styles complement each other, without deliberately coordinating. We certainly make an effort to look good together.”
Beyond their fashionable public showings, Ballerini recently shared with Us how their connection has matured over two years of being together.
“Indeed, you must [challenge one another], otherwise it becomes dull, leading to stagnation, which won’t sustain the relationship,” she revealed exclusively to Us in July. “I believe we’re at the two-and-a-half-year mark, so [our relationship] has transformed considerably from its initial stages. I think we possess many similarities — and where we differ, that’s precisely where we push each other. … My only wish is for him to experience all the wonderful things life has to offer.”
