These two individuals, initially connected in January, were captured in photos together at the Venice Film Festival party hosted by Variety and the Golden Globes on Thursday, August 31. As seen in images obtained by the Daily Mail, Kelsea Ballerini, 29, shared a tender moment by planting a kiss on the smiling Chase Stokes, 30, on the cheek in one snapshot. In another, the couple was seen posing warmly with Ballerini’s arms encircling Stokes.
Both of them opted for stylish black ensembles for the occasion. Stokes sported a double-breasted suit complemented by a white shirt and glasses, while Ballerini exuded elegance in a plunging strapless Yves Saint Laurent dress, accentuated with a coordinating neck scarf. It’s worth noting that before her involvement with Stokes, Ballerini was previously married to Morgan Evans for nearly five years. Their divorce was officially finalized in November 2022, three months after they publicly announced their separation, as confirmed by Us Weekly.
Upon the release of her six-song EP centered around her divorce, titled “Rolling Up the Welcome Mat,” Stokes extended his congratulations to Ballerini. On his Instagram Story, he expressed his pride, stating, “So proud of you, your heart, and your beautiful soul.” He accompanied these words with a shared photo of the two, promoting the EP by adding, “Rolling up the welcome mat now streaming.”
In that very month, Ballerini candidly discussed their relationship during an appearance on the “Call Her Daddy” podcast. She disclosed that she initiated contact by sliding into Stokes’ Instagram DMs, recounting the simple message, “Hi Chase Stokes,” sent to his handle, ‘hichasestokes.’ Furthermore, the country singer later elaborated on their decision not to keep their relationship hidden from the public.
“The choice we’ve made, and everyone’s approach can vary, is that when you’re in a relationship with someone who makes you feel secure and proud, why not share it?” Ballerini remarked in a July interview with StyleCaster. She went on to explain, “He’s also a Virgo; we’re both like Labrador Retrievers in human form. Our compatibility makes it easy to be on the same page without much effort. It’s been six months, and it’s been wonderful.”
In the interview, Ballerini appeared to allude to her separation from Evans, 38, describing the past year as “a tumultuous time” for her. In contrast, her connection with Stokes has provided a much-needed break from the chaos. An insider exclusively shared with us in July that they share a drama-free relationship where they can be their authentic selves. The source also mentioned that while Ballerini and Stokes have a serious relationship, they aren’t in a hurry to take the next step, stating, “They currently have no immediate plans for engagement.”
