WATCH: Kelsea Ballerini Gets Honest About Divorce From Morgan Evans In New Interview: ‘It’s Rough’
Kelsea Ballerini is speaking out for the first time on national television about her recent divorce from fellow country music…
Kelsea Ballerini; Photo Courtesy CBS
Kelsea Ballerini is speaking out for the first time on national television about her recent divorce from fellow country music singer Morgan Evans.
In an interview with CBS Mornings‘ Anthony Mason that aired on Monday (Oct. 3), the chart-topping superstar opened up about her life after divorce.
“I think when there’s a big life decision like [divorce], it’s not a sudden one and there’s a lot that happens before that becomes public. So, I’m on my active healing journey and a big part of that is showing up for this album and showing up for myself like I never have,” Ballerini, 29, said.
On August 29, Ballerini took to social media to share a statement with fans, revealing that she and Evans have separated after nearly five years of marriage.
“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,” Ballerini shared in the statement. ”This is now public record so I wanted you to hear from me directly that I am going through a divorce.” At the time, Ballerini continued to tell fans that it was a “deeply difficult decision” to make and is a “result of a journey of love, growth, and effort that ultimately has come to an end.”
The “Heartfirst” singer then added that she will always cherish the memories that she and Evans made together. “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,” Ballerini added. “With very active schedules coming up, please be mindful that we are both fragile, actively healing, and showing up the best we can.”
While chatting with Mason, Ballerini also shared that she is “really proud” of herself for going against her desire to make everyone around her happy.
“I’m a peacemaker, we’ve talked about this before and I’m a people pleaser, so to do something that kind of goes against those two things is really difficult.”
She then admitted, “It’s rough. It’s also rough like it’s not chaotic, it’s not like volatile, it just didn’t work out and that sometimes is like a difficult narrative to get your head around when you’re just like ‘oh my gosh, this is a good person and I’m a good person and this is just no longer good anymore.’”
In addition, Ballerini also acknowledged that you can often feel like a failure after a divorce saying, “It’s easy to shame yourself and it’s easy to want to hide and I just want to be proud of myself in 10 years on this season of my life. This is not just a heavy time in my life. This is also a celebratory time in my life. I don’t want to shade that because that’s important to feel.”
On September 3, Ballerini shared a vulnerable clip of herself on TikTok, documenting “a complex time” in her life. The clip, soundtracked to Katie Gregson-MacLeod’s “Complex (demo),” found Ballerini sitting naked, wearing only jewelry, in a bathtub full of water with black eyeliner and mascara running down her cheeks, presumably from crying. As the emotional clip continues, Ballerini lays back and submerges herself in the water.
During the interview on CBS Mornings, Ballerini was asked about the clip and her decision to share such a personal moment of sadness with fans.
“It was my weekend to fall apart,” Ballerini explained, before adding, “I just wanted people to remember that I’m feeling my feelings too and it’s a lot. It’s a lot.”
In addition to discussing her recent divorce from Evans, Ballerini chatted about her 10-city Heartfirst Tour, which kicked off on September 24 at Radio City Music Hall in New York City.
“I have made this show, if I do say so myself, really special. It’s almost like a Broadway musical,” Ballerini said, before admitting that she loves getting to bring her new album, Subject To Change, to life within her live performance. “I love it! It’s getting to bring it to life. This thing that I’ve worked in the studio on for two years.”
Ballerini’s Heartfirst Tour continues through October 14, where the trek will wrap up at Premier Theater inside Foxwoods Resort Casino.
While Ballerini may have released her latest project just a few weeks ago, she is already putting her feelings into words as she works on new music.
“[I am writing], I have to, it’s like healthy for me to just go ahead and get it on out, but I’m doing it for me. I don’t know if I’ll ever put it out, I don’t know when I’ll put something else out. I need a break after this. I need to get my life together,” Ballerini said laughing. “Chapters… You have to write ’em then you have to finish ’em then you got to turn the page.”
For tickets and additional information on Kelsea Ballerini’s Heartfirst Tour, visit www.heartfirsttour.com.
Lauren Jo Black is a longtime country music journalist, editor, host, and media personality whose work has helped shape the conversation around country music for nearly two decades. As the current Editor-in-Chief of Country Now, she has become one of the genre’s most respected voices, interviewing hundreds of country music’s biggest stars, including Dolly Parton, Garth Brooks, Reba McEntire, Shania Twain, Randy Travis, Luke Bryan, Carrie Underwood, Blake Shelton, Luke Combs, and countless others. Over the course of her career, Black’s written work and interviews have reached billions of country music fans worldwide. A 2009 graduate of the University of Central Florida, Black began her career by founding Country Music Is Love, one of country music’s earliest independent digital publications, which she later sold to a major record label in 2015 before it was rebranded as Sounds Like Nashville. She then served as the publication’s Editor-in-Chief for more than two years. Her work has also appeared in Forbes, and she previously served as the Country Music Expert for Answers.com. Widely recognized for her expertise, Black has appeared as a featured guest on The Bobby Bones Show, BobbyCast, and Scripps News Morning Rush, providing insight on country music’s biggest moments. She has also hosted Country Now Live, a concert series featuring performances from artists including Lady A, Dierks Bentley, Riley Green, Jordan Davis, Dustin Lynch, Gabby Barrett, Brett Young, Jon Pardi, Kip Moore, Chris Young, and more. The series has welcomed thousands of fans in person while reaching millions more online. In addition, she hosted Connect With Country Now, a weekly interview series featuring conversations with rising country stars. Throughout her career, Black has earned a reputation for discovering and championing artists long before they become household names. She has covered Luke Bryan since the early days of his career, beginning when he was writing songs for other artists, including Billy Currington’s No. 1 hit “Good Directions,” before stepping into the spotlight with his debut single, “All My Friends Say” and eventually becoming one of biggest names in music. She also gave Megan Moroney her first opportunity to walk a major red carpet as Country Now’s official guest correspondent at the 2022 CMA Awards. An interview she conducted in 2018 for Forbes.com with Luke Combs that inspired his multi-week No. 1 hit, “Doin’ This.” She has also hosted stages at CMA Fest, moderated an industry panel at Country Radio Seminar, and helped lead important conversations about the evolving landscape of country music media. Beyond journalism, Black has also used her platform to support charitable causes and highlight organizations making an impact. Through Country Now Live, she has helped raise awareness and support for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, while also advocating for animal rescue through Country Now’s Pupdate series, spotlighting organizations including MuttNation Foundation, Wags & Walks, and Proverbs 12:10 Animal Rescue. Black has been recognized as one of Country Aircheck’s Women of Influence and received the 2012 Rising Star Award from the University of Central Florida. She is a longtime member of both the Country Music Association (CMA) and the Academy of Country Music (ACM). After nearly 20 years covering country music, Lauren Jo Black has spent her career telling the stories behind the artists, songs, and moments that have shaped the genre. Her first-ever book, Country Music Forever: An A-to-Z Celebration of Icons, Songs and Stories, brings that same passion and firsthand knowledge to the page, celebrating not only the legendary artists and timeless songs that have become the soundtrack to generations of fans, but also the places, traditions, and cultural moments that have made country music one of the most beloved genres around the world.
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