Kelsea Ballerini & Chase Stokes Break Up After Nearly 3 Years of Dating

Kelsea Ballerini and Chase Stokes have ended their romantic relationship, a rep for Ballerini has confirmed to Billboard.

People first reported the news.

CMA Awards winner Ballerini and the Outer Banks actor publicly confirmed their relationship in 2023 and walked the CMT Awards red carpet together. They’ve since accompanied each other on various red carpets and awards shows and let fans in on their relationship through social media posts over the past few years.

“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,” sources close to Ballerini and Stokes told People.

The breakup might seem sudden for fans of the couple, given that just days ago (on Friday, Sept. 12), Stokes celebrated Ballerini’s 32nd birthday with a celebratory Instagram post. The post included several photos and videos of the couple’s behind-the-scenes moments together, and Stokes captioned the post with, “Although you keep saying you’re not excited for 32, id say I’m lookin forward to more of this. happy birthday my love.”

In January, Ballerini celebrated two years of being with Stokes, posting on Instagram, “Two years of catching each other in countless cities, perfecting a chimichurri steak, and creating a world that revolves around dogs. love you so, teammate.” The two first connected in 2022, when Ballerini introduced herself by sending Stokes a direct message on social media.

This year, Ballerini has reached new career heights, headlining a slate of arenas on her 2025 tour, earning an ACM Award nomination for entertainer of the year, and joining The Voice as a coach for its 27th season, alongside fellow coaches John Legend, Adam Levine and Michael Bublé.