Kelsea Ballerini and Chase Stokes were spotted indulging in public displays of affection (PDA) at the 2024 CMT Music Awards. During the event on April 7th, the duo didn’t shy away from showcasing their affection, sharing a kiss on the red carpet as they posed for photographs.
Ballerini, who hosted the show, and Stokes, egged on by a photographer’s request, gently locked lips, exchanging a tender moment before sharing a laugh.
Amid cheers from fans, the couple confidently strolled the red carpet, with Stokes donning a crisp white shirt and jacket paired with black pants, while Ballerini elegantly flaunted a flowing red dress, hand in hand with her beau.
The couple, who made their relationship public in February 2023, recently marked their one-year anniversary.
Throughout the past year, Ballerini and Stokes have openly expressed their affection for each other on social media platforms.
Additionally, they’ve graced numerous red carpets together, further solidifying their bond.
From the onset of romance whispers to establishing a committed relationship, let’s reminisce about the initial year of Ballerini and Stokes’ love journey.
Several Romance Rumors Spark Amid A Teasy Photo
On January 13, 2023, Stokes shared a photo dump, igniting speculation about his relationship with Ballerini.
Among the images was one depicting two individuals seated at the College Football National Championship game, their faces not visible. However, Stokes tagged Ballerini in the post, prompting intrigue.
Adding to the speculation, Ballerini fueled the flames by commenting, “Go vols.”
In a subsequent interview, Stokes praised Ballerini, dubbing her “the best” following her announcement as a musical guest on “Saturday Night Live.”
“I mean she’s the best,” Stokes said on Feb. 16 at the Season Three premiere of “Outer Banks.” “I’m so excited for her and everything happening in her career right now.”
Kelsea Ballerini Confirms Her Relationship With Chase Stokes
During a February 2023 conversation on the “Call Her Daddy” podcast, Ballerini was questioned about her relationship status. With a laugh, she responded with a firm “no,” hinting at her involvement with Stokes.
Reflecting on her journey post-divorce from Morgan Evans, the country singer expressed her readiness to embrace new connections, signaling her willingness to open her heart once again.
“Why not? I’ve never really dated. I don’t know how it works. I’m like, what? Let’s just put ourselves out there,” she said, revealing that she slid into Stokes’ DMs in December 2022.
“I’ve never seen the show and but I just knew of him,” she said. “So I followed him and he followed me and I just swung through right on it.”
“His handle is ‘@hichasestokes,’ and I said, ‘Hi, Chase Stokes,’” she said of how she reached out to him.
In an August 2023 TikTok post, Ballerini disclosed details about her and Stokes’ inaugural date, which took place at a sushi restaurant. The clip provided a moment behind the scenes as she prepared for this significant milestone in their relationship.
“Here’s a video I sent to my best friend before my first date with Chase,” Ballerini captioned the post.
In the video, Ballerini poses in front of a mirror showing off her outfit, a mini-dress and boots.
“I can do this,” she tells herself in front of the mirror. “I can do this. It’s just a date, you just go and you just eat food and you talk about things that you do.”
During the “Call Her Daddy” podcast, she also touched on the photo Stokes shared of the two of them at the football game.
“We had been hanging out and people got a photo of us at the game, at the championship. And so that was kind of just going,” she recalled.
“And he was like, ‘I mean, it’s gonna keep going. So should I just like poke the bear?’ and I was like, ‘Sure.’ And the poking the bear was like a photo of me just like, leaning on him.”
The Couple Cheers Each Other
On February 23, 2023, coinciding with the premiere of Season Three of “Outer Banks,” the “If You Go Down” singer took to her Instagram story to promote the show.
She shared a poster featuring Stokes and added a smiley face, indicating her support.
Simultaneously, Stokes reciprocated the affection by posting a photo of Ballerini planting a kiss on his cheek.
Alongside the snapshot, he affectionately wrote, “My Love,” showcasing their bond publicly.
Chase Stokes Confirmed His Relationship With Kelsea Ballerini
During his appearance on March 3, 2023, Stokes openly confirmed his relationship with Ballerini while engaged in conversation with Sheinelle Jones.
“Right across the street, on ‘SNL,’ we have a pretty good show planned for tomorrow night,” Jones said. “Kelsea Ballerini, she’ll be taking the stage. Going out on a limb here — are you a fan?”
“Absolutely I’m a fan,” he replied. “Yeah, who isn’t a fan?”
Sheinelle then said, “For those of you who don’t know, they’re… dating?” to which Stokes nodded.
The Couple Made Their Red Carpet
Ballerini co-hosted the CMT Music Awards on April 2, 2023, and brought Stokes along as her date, marking their inaugural red carpet appearance post-public confirmation of their relationship.
The duo displayed affection by embracing and intertwining while posing for photographs before the awards ceremony.
Following this milestone, Ballerini and Stokes consistently shared moments of their escapades on social media.
They maintained their presence at public engagements, including the Broadway premiere of “Shucked” on April 4, 2023, in New York City.
Kelsea Ballerini Shares Why She Decided To Go Public With Their Relationship
In a July interview with Stylecaster, Ballerini elaborated on the decision to publicly share their relationship with the world.
“The thing that we’ve decided, and to each their own, is when you’re with someone that you feel secure with and that you’re proud to be with, why not share it?” she said.
“He’s also a Virgo; we’re both Labrador retrievers in human form. It doesn’t take much conversation to be on the same page. It’s been half a year and it’s been great.”
After her performance on August 11, Ballerini offered a positive relationship update to Sheinelle.
“I’m so happy,” she said. “It’s nice to feel so supported and seen. He’s such a wonderful, wonderful human being.”
Kelsea Ballerini And Chase Stokes Celebrate Her 30th Birthday At The VMAs
The 2023 MTV Video Music Awards served as a dual celebration, marking the birthday of the country star, who was accompanied by boyfriend Stokes on the red carpet.
Sporting matching red ensembles, the couple indulged in a PDA-filled moment, sealing it with a kiss for the cameras.
Kelsea Ballerini Reveals How She Slid Into Chase Stokes’ DMs
Last September, commemorating Stokes’ birthday, Ballerini offered a peek into the beginnings of their charming relationship.
In a September 16 Instagram carousel post, Ballerini shared a screenshot of the initial messages exchanged between her and Stokes.
The “Blindsided” singer initiated contact with Stokes via Instagram direct message on December 1, 2022, at 1 a.m., simply saying, “hiii chase stokes.”
The actor replied two hours later with,
“Hey there how u doin.”
“I’m kels, nice to meet you,” Ballerini wrote back with a smiley face emoji. The “Outer Banks” star then “loved” the message.
Kelsea Ballerini And Chase Stokes Pose For Photos On The CMA Awards Red Carpet
Their affection was evident at the 2023 CMA Awards. The couple exuded warmth as they graced the 57th annual awards ceremony at Bridgestone Arena on November 8 in Nashville. Ballerini radiated elegance in a pink one-shoulder silk gown with a thigh-high slit.
Posing on the red carpet, she snuggled against the “Outer Banks” star, even striking a kissing pose at one point. Stokes complemented her look in a dark suit with black trimmings, beaming as he held onto his beloved.
Their First Anniversary Celebration In January 2024
Both Stokes and Ballerini celebrated their one-year anniversary with adorable Instagram slideshows.
On January 7, the “Outer Banks” star penned a heartfelt tribute to the country music singer, captioning his post with “One year of lovin you” and adding a red heart emoji.
His slideshow showcased precious moments shared over the past year, including Ballerini planting a kiss on his forehead and the couple singing and dancing to her song “Heartfirst” in a car.
They also displayed their musical talents with a duet of Coldplay’s “A Sky Full of Stars” while playing the piano together.
Ballerini later revealed on her Instagram story that the clip of them singing in the car was filmed on the first night they met.
In her own Instagram post, Ballerini shared a carousel of photos on the same day, highlighting Stokes’ support at her concerts and moments of their vacations together.
“A whole trip around the sun with my bestie. @hichasestokes thanks for making me write love songs,” she said in the caption.
In one clip, the couple shared a laugh over the kiss imprint she left on his neck, while another amusing video featured her recording his snoring.
The final image in her post captured the pair cuddling on a bench, gazing out at the sea together, encapsulating their bond and shared moments of intimacy.
