Thu Nov 20 01:40:00 UTC 2025: Kelsea Ballerini Addresses Fan Speculation About New Music After Chase Stokes Defends Her Online
Nashville, TN – Country star Kelsea Ballerini got emotional during a recent concert in Nashville, addressing the online speculation surrounding her new EP, “Mount Pleasant.” Just days after her ex-boyfriend, actor Chase Stokes, defended her from social media criticism, Ballerini told fans at her Mount Pleasant Experience pop-up concert on November 17th that she writes songs “to relate to, not to make a point on the internet.”
The song “Emerald City” in particular has stirred controversy, with some listeners theorizing that its lyrics are about Ballerini comparing herself to actress Madelyn Cline, Stokes’ former girlfriend. Stokes responded to the online chatter by commenting on one of Ballerini’s TikTok videos, calling the commentary “f–king weird” and urging commenters to “grow up.”
During her concert, Ballerini thanked fans for “embracing the not-so-glittery parts” of her over the past few years, acknowledging the vulnerability she expresses through her music. “I know that I’m the luckiest to be able to have all these very big feelings and be like, ‘I need to put it in music or I will combust,'” she said.
Ballerini and Stokes, who were together for nearly three years, officially broke up in September 2025. The breakup followed a whirlwind romance that began with a direct message from Ballerini to Stokes in December 2022. The relationship included red carpet appearances, hometown visits, and social media declarations of love.
First Piper 