Kelsea Ballerini Gets Candid About Divorce In Honest New Interview: ‘The Glitter Wears Off’

Kelsea Ballerini is opening up about the reasons she chose to divorce Morgan Evans. 

The “Heartfirst” singer recently appeared on the Tell Me About It With Jade Iovine podcast where she explained her decision to end her nearly five-year marriage.

Ballerini, 29, shared that she’s “really intuitive and in tune” with herself and that’s how she knew it was time to call it quits. 

“For a while, it was kind of like, ‘OK, this is just a new phase of a relationship,’ because relationships go through seasons, right? And it’s not always going to be butterflies and rainbows,” she said. “For a long time, I was like, ‘Oh this is just… The glitter wears off. That’s what happens.’ And then you get into a phase where you wait for it to come back. And then sometimes it doesn’t.”

The East Tennessee native admitted that “divorce is a bitch” but ultimately knew that staying would have been worse than leaving. 

“At the end of the day, it is such a disservice and a dishonoring of yourself if you know something is not right and you stay,” she said. “[Shame] is the one thing that I just refuse to feel… Judge me for it, fine, that’s on you.”

After filing for divorce in August, Ballerini has kept herself surrounded by her friends and family and said she’s not ready to be alone yet. In fact, at the time of the podcast interview, she had not spent a single night by herself since she and Evans split. 

“Whether it was my mom or my dad or my friends, I’ve had my people really rally for me and I’m not ready to be alone yet,” she explained. “And I don’t think that I’m avoiding anything, ’cause I’m definitely in my feels, cause I really want to heal properly… But yeah, I don’t think that’s what I need right now.”

During the interview, Ballerini also discussed the “shame” that is associated with divorce and said, “That is just the one thing that I just refuse to feel. I just refuse to feel it. Judge me for it, fine, that’s on you.”

“And shit, if that ain’t country music, I don’t know what is.” Life update from Kelsea ❤️

🎥: https://t.co/tO8VYCvI9N pic.twitter.com/kXp5O8iHWP

— Kelsea Central • fan account (@KelseaCentral) November 16, 2022

Ballerini and Evans finalized their divorce in November on the same day Ballerini earned a GRAMMY nomination and picked up the keys to her “dream house.” That night, she played the Grand Ole Opry and held nothing back when she stood in the iconic Opry circle. 

“In my last song, there’s no judgment or keeping score. So, the truth is that this morning, I started my day at the courthouse, finalizing my divorce,” she told the Opry crowd. 

“And then getting nominated for Grammy. And then getting the keys to my dream home. And now standing in the circle of the Opry. And shit, if that ain’t country music, I don’t know what is.”

Ballerini announced the couple’s split on Instagram in August, calling it a “deeply difficult decision.” 

“Friends, I’ve 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. This is now public record so I wanted you to hear from me directly that I am going through a divorce,” she wrote. 

“This deeply difficult decision is the result of a journey of love, growth, and effort that ultimately has come to an end. 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.”

Evans later confirmed the separation on social media. 

“I am very sad to confirm that after almost 5 years of marriage, Kelsea and I are parting ways. I wish it were otherwise but sadly it is not,” he shared. 

Ballerini and Evans met in 2016 while co-hosting Australia’s Country Music Channel Awards. Thor relationship flourished and they ultimately wed in December of 2017.