\n Kelsea Ballerini at the CMT Music Awards<\/span> Matt Baron\/BEI\/Shutterstock<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
Making a statement \u2014 or two<\/a>.\u00a0Kelsea Ballerini<\/strong><\/a> did more than just host the 2023 CMT Music Awards<\/a> on Sunday, April 2. After opening the show with a tribute to the victims of the Nashville, Tennessee, Covenant School<\/a> shooting, the 29-year-old singer took the stage to perform \u201cIf You Go Down (I\u2019m Goin\u2019 Down Too)\u201d<\/a> with drag queens Kennedy Davenport, Manila Luzon, Jan Sport <\/strong>and Oliva Lux<\/strong>. The performance came weeks after Tennessee Senate Bill 3 (a.k.a Tennessee drag ban), which would ban the public \u201cadult cabaret performance\u201d in front of children, was introduced.<\/p>\n \u201cI love performance and I love self-expression and I love inclusivity,\u201d Ballerini told Entertainment Tonight<\/a> <\/em>on Sunday.<\/p>\n Davenport, Luzon, Sport and Lux went on to praise Ballerini to the outlet.<\/p>\n \u201cJust like all these amazing country music artists, we drag queens are also artists. And we deserve a space to be ourselves, express ourselves, and create something wonderful for everyone to enjoy,\u201d Luzon said.<\/p>\n Sport noted it \u201cmeans so much\u201d to the community, explaining: \u201cBecause any opportunity for us to share our gifts with the world is a blessing. So, it\u2019s more of us having a message to bless other people. It\u2019s not bad. It\u2019s all good. It\u2019s all love. It\u2019s all total liberation \u2014 that\u2019s what the arts are all about.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cKelsea made it really clear in the rehearsal room and took even during right before the stage that she was like take up that space, you know, this is your time as well, and amplify the fact that you\u2019re here,\u201d Lux added. \u201cEven the song, if you\u2019re going down, I\u2019m going down too \u2014 it is about the celebration of being a community. And I think that\u2019s what we did on the stage tonight. And I really hope that transcended some people as well. It felt like it did.\u201d<\/p>\n Davenport concluded: \u201cThe world is evolving. So we have to, we\u2019re gonna evolve with you guys. And we\u2019re going to. We\u2019re all equal. And that\u2019s what it\u2019s all about.\u201d<\/p>\n GLAAD subsequently released a statement praising Ballerini and the awards show.<\/p>\n \u201cAs LGBTQ rights are being questioned in Texas, Tennessee, and several Southern states, Kelsea Ballerini took to one of country music\u2019s biggest stages to display bold allyship by proudly featuring talented and beloved drag artists. Kelsea\u2019s performance at the CMT Music Awards reinforced that drag is not a threat, it\u2019s an art. New legislation that tries to silence drag performers in some Southern states is as unpopular as it is unnecessary,\u201d Anthony Allen Ramos<\/strong>, GLAAD\u2019s Vice President of Communications & Talent, said on Monday, April 3. \u201cThe CMT Music Awards also featured a performance from out singer Lily Rose<\/strong>, out red carpet host Cody Alan<\/strong>, and legendary ally Shania Twain<\/strong> called for country music to be \u2018all inclusive\u201d in her remarks. Country music stars are using their platforms to stand with the LGBTQ community and the industry is growing into an explicitly welcoming place for LGBTQ fans and talent. Other country music stars, concerts, and events should take note of CMT\u2019s inclusion and follow suit.\u201d<\/p>\n Ballerini hasn\u2019t been a stranger to headlines in recent months. Last month, she made waves for swapping lyrics to throw shade at her ex-husband, Morgan Evans<\/strong><\/a>, during her March 4 Saturday Night Live<\/em> debut \u2014 changing her \u201cBlindsided\u201d outro to answer Evans\u2019 \u201cOver For You\u201d single.<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cNow you\u2019re singing out loud on the radio that you\u2019re the only heart that breaks,\u201d she belted on the NBC variety show, referring to his September 2022 breakup anthem<\/a>. \u201cYou would\u2019ve searched the whole world over. Yeah, sure. OK.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBlindsided\u201d was one of the post-divorce tracks<\/a> Ballerini penned on her\u00a0Rolling Up the Welcome Mat\u00a0<\/i>EP,\u00a0<\/i>which dropped in February.<\/p>\n \u201cI think I was just kind of putting examples in there,\u201d the \u201cPeter Pan\u201d artist said during a February 22 appearance on the \u201cCall Her Daddy\u201d podcast<\/a> of her six-track project and its accompanying short film. \u201cI\u2019ve taken the time to, like, actually sit in my feelings and, like, go through that grieving process and take ownership of what I brought to the table. \u2026 I wish I would\u2019ve had [these songs] in August.\u201d<\/p>\n During the podcast appearance, Ballerini also opened up about finding out that Evans released his own breakup song<\/a>. \u201cAs he\u2019s putting out a song about being blindsided, he\u2019s taking half the house that he didn\u2019t pay for<\/a>, \u201c she told host Alex Cooper<\/strong><\/a>. \u201cHow was I married to this person for this long and had no idea that that bit of character was tucked within that human being?\u201d<\/p>\n Ballerini and the 35-year-old Australia native, who wed in 2017<\/a>, announced in August 2022 that they were separating after nearly five years of marriage.<\/p>\n \u201cFriends, I\u2019ve always tried my best to share my life with you in a real and vulnerable way, while also protecting layers of my personal life as they unfold,\u201d the Grammy Award winner wrote via her Instagram Story at the time<\/a>. \u201cThis is now public record so I wanted you to hear from me directly that I am going through a divorce. \u2026 This deeply difficult decision is the result of a journey of love, growth, and effort that ultimately has come to an end.\u201d<\/p>\n She concluded: \u201cI feel extremely grateful for the years of marriage to Morgan and hopeful for the next seasons. With very active schedules coming up, please be mindful that we are both fragile<\/a>, actively healing, and showing up the best we can.\u201d<\/p>\n The pair ultimately finalized their divorce the following November<\/a>, which Ballerini also referenced on\u00a0Rolling Up the Welcome Mat<\/i>.\u00a0Evans, for his part, later spoke out about his ex-wife\u2019s breakup songs and tell-all interviews<\/a> about their relationship.<\/p>\n \u201c<\/i>It\u2019s really sad for me to see this person, who I spent so much of my life with, and loved with all my heart, saying things that aren\u2019t reality<\/a> and that leave out what really happened,\u201d Evans wrote via Instagram in February after a trailer for Ballerini\u2019s \u201cCall Her Daddy\u201d podcast episode dropped, in which she disclosed several of their marital issues<\/a>. \u201cShe knows I\u2019m not the type of guy to speak on those things publicly. If this is what she needs to heal, I hope it helps.\u201d<\/p>\n Sign up for Us Weekly’s free, daily newsletter<\/a> and never miss breaking news or exclusive stories about your favorite celebrities, TV shows and more!<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n The \u201cHeartfirst\u201d singer has since moved on with\u00a0Outer Banks<\/i>\u00a0star Chase Stokes<\/strong><\/a> after sliding into his social media DMs<\/a>. Stokes, 30, was even spotted supporting his love\u2019s concert tour<\/a> last month \u2014 and walked the red carpet with her on Sunday.<\/a><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
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