Kelsea Ballerini Doesn’t Want to Be the ‘Poster Child’ for Divorce

Kelsea Ballerini’s decision to open up about her divorce through music has led to some unexpected fan reactions.

At concerts, The Voice coach, 31, has grown accustomed to seeing fans hold up signs that read, “Just got a divorce.”

“I try to never celebrate it until I know if it’s a good thing,” Ballerini shared with Elle in an interview published Tuesday, May 6. “I don’t ever want to be a poster child for divorce. It’s been three years now. It’s simply not in the forefront of my life anymore.”

In August 2022, Ballerini and Morgan Evans split after nearly five years of marriage. At the time, the “Half of My Hometown” singer cited “irreconcilable differences” as the reason for the split.

“This deeply difficult decision is the result of a journey of love, growth and effort that ultimately has come to an end,” she wrote via Instagram after filing for divorce. “It’s hard to find the words here…but I feel extremely grateful for the years of marriage to Morgan and hopeful for the next seasons.”

When she meets with fans going through a challenging split of their own, Ballerini said she often asks them one very important question.

“I always make sure when these women come up to me, my first reaction is never, ‘Oh my God, congratulations!’ It’s like, ‘Are you okay?’” she told Elle. “Because just like it needs to be destigmatized, I also don’t think it should be celebrated or glamorized.”

Ballerini has come a long way since her divorce. In February 2023, she released an EP titled Rolling Up the Welcome Mat. The six-song set chronicled her public split and was such a personal body of work that the country singer initially hesitated to share.

“I remember being like, ‘Oh man, I’m terrified,’” she recalled. ‘I went to sleep, and the next morning, I was like, ‘Oh, it’s OK. People are finding this and connecting with this.’ But it was definitely a scary feeling.”

She also received a second chance at love with Outer Banks star Chase Stokes. Together for two years, the pair have become red carpet favorites at award shows and music events.

Ballerini said her personal life today is “unrecognizable from how it was a couple of years ago, and thank God.”

Related: Why Kelsea Ballerini Credits Taylor Swift With Changing Her ‘Life’

Kelsea Ballerini has Taylor Swift to thank, in part, for a massive career highlight. Ballerini, 31, gushed to Us Weekly exclusively about the impressive women in country music who’ve championed her “from the very beginning” while attending the Variety Power of Women event in Nashville on Thursday, May 1. “I think a big reason why […]

With her personal life hitting all the right notes, the singer is more than ready to celebrate her professional successes, too.

During a recent dinner with her manager, Ballerini asked what areas in her professional life she can “do better” in or improve. The answer she received left an undeniable impact on her.

“[My manager] said, ‘You need to stop acting like you’re new here,’” Ballerini recalled. “So I’ve been trying to stand in my success more and not make myself smaller. I think that’s a lesson for all women — to be really proud about our wins.”