Grammy-nominated singer Kelsea Ballerini and Outer Banks actor Chase Stokes have called it quits after nearly three years – just two days after Chase penned a loving social media post to Kelsea to celebrate her 32nd birthday. "although you keep saying you’re not excited for 32, id say I'm lookin forward to more of this," Chase, also 32, captioned an Instagram post, featuring a photo carousel of shots of the two of them out on date nights, cozy at home and goofing off on a private plane. "happy birthday my love," he added.
People reported Sunday that the couple had broken up, with Kelsea's rep confirming the news to the publication, and their report citing that they were just unable to make their relationship work despite giving it their all. HELLO! has reached out to representatives for Kelsea and Chase for comment as well.
"Penthouse" singer Kelsea was previously married to country singer Morgan Evans for five years before the two divorced in 2022. Kelsea and Chase first sparked dating rumors in January 2023, when Chase soft-launched their relationship with a faceless photo of the two cuddling up together in a suite at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, to watch a University of Georgia vs. Texas Christian University football game.
Kelsea later revealed on the Call Her Daddy podcast that she slid into Chase's Instagram DMs first. "I was ready to open back up," she told host Alex Cooper of her post-divorce feelings toward romance. "I just felt, why not? I've never really dated, I don't know how it works. I'm like, 'Let's just put ourselves out there, let's just vibe.' And it's been fun."
She and Chase both played coy in interviews and on social media for a couple of months after the football game before officially hard-launching on the CMT Music Awards red carpet in April 2023. Since then, the two have made numerous red carpet appearances together, traveling to support each other’s work ventures, and revealed last October that they had moved in together.
Chase opened up around that time about going to one of Kelsea's concerts for the first time – and why he was so emotional throughout the entire show. "For her to go back to her hometown and to sell out an arena, like that stage — it was the coolest thing. I cried the whole time," he previously told People. "It's a magical moment when you see somebody who at 12 years old wanted to have this dream and then to go back to her hometown and do exactly what she set out to do — I mean there's no way to be more proud."
The singer put out a new album last October, titled Patterns, which she has said was partially inspired by her relationship with the actor. "Chase is also a Virgo, and we’re very kindred in 90 percent of the ways," she told Women's Health.
"It’s been such a beautiful journey to figure out how to be in a relationship with someone who’s truly a mirror of you. It’s taken a lot of really intentional work, and you hear that throughout this new album," she continued. "It’s not not a record full of love. It is, but it’s the nuance of it, and it’s the in-between moments. How do we get to the happy-go-lucky, mushy-gushy phase? This is the process, but it took a lot of sorting through baggage together. I think we’re both really proud of that."