The Real Reason Kelsea Ballerini & Chase Stokes Suddenly Split Weeks After He Denied Breakup Rumors: They ‘Tried to Do Everything… ‘
From their first rodeo to their last. Kelsea Ballerini and Chase Stokes called it quits after 2 and a half years of dating.
The “Baggage” singer and Outer Banks star started dating when she slid into his DMs. “I’ve never seen his show, but I just knew of him, and I just swan dove right on in…” Ballerini explained on Call Her Daddy. “I was ready to open back up. I just felt, why not? I’ve never really dated; I don’t know how it works. I’m like, ‘Let’s just put ourselves out there; let’s just vibe.’ And it’s been fun.”
We caught up with Kelsea during the early stages of their relationship. “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 in her cover story. “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.”
Related: Kelsea Ballerini’s “How Do I Do This” Walks Us Through Her 1st Dates With Chase Stokes
Chase also gave a little insight about how she affected his fashion choices. “She’s very honest with me if I put on an outfit that I should not be wearing in public, which I’m very appreciative of because sometimes I will just grab whatever’s closest,” he told StyleCaster in 2024. “So sometimes on the weekend when we’re having a little time to ourselves, she’ll be like, ‘Hey honey, let’s maybe not do sweatpants today.’” He continues, “She has to turn it on and off so often and put something on that’s elegant and beautiful and we’re both such creatures of wanting to sit at home with the dogs.”
Why did Kelsea Ballerini & Chase Stokes break up?
Kelsea Ballerini and Chase Stokes broke up after their busy schedules didn’t line up. “They’re two adults who gave it their all and tried to do everything they could to make it work, but ultimately couldn’t. It happens,” a source told People.
An anonymous tip sent to popular gossip account DeuxMoi made the round claiming “two exes with major on-screen chemistry” were spotted reconnecting, referring to Chase and his Outer Banks co-star Madeline Cline. The anon tip also said that “the blonde country-pop darling has been clocking long studio hours” with a new project that “pulls heavily from heartbreak.”
The breakup comes days after Kelsea Ballerini’s 32nd birthday, where Chase made a birthday post for his now-ex. “although you keep saying you’re not excited for 32, id say I’m lookin forward to more of this, he captioned the post where they were embracing at a New York Knicks game with other couple photos. “happy birthday my love ❤️.”
According to E! News, fans speculated that the two had broken up when Kelsea deleted an Instagram carousel featuring the actor. However, the Uglies star put an end to it after posting a photo of her dog on his Instagram story.
In an interview with People, Chase revealed the secret to keeping their relationship afloat was “never going more than three weeks” without seeing her.
“If we need to make the effort to show up when one’s across the country, we do it,” he said. “The amount of effort that we put into our careers, we should be doubling that in our personal lives.”
