'Guys, we have to stop saying that': Kelsea Ballerini pauses song to defend ex-husband
Kelsea Ballerini won't stand for hateful comments about ex-husband Australian country performer Morgan Evans anywhere, much less at her own concert.
The 31-year-old songstress momentarily paused her show in Hollywood, Florida on Sunday night, when fans began to shout obscenities about Evans, who she divorced in August 2022 after nearly five years of marriage.
The decision to part ways was "deeply difficult" for Ballerini, who confirmed the divorce on social media at the time, calling it "the result of a journey of love, growth, and effort that ultimately has come to an end."
Watch: Ballerini pauses song to discourage hateful comments
Attendees captured the exchange between Ballerini and the crowd at Hard Rock Live on video.
Ballerini, who was in the middle of singing the bridge of "Penthouse," the third track off "Rolling Up the Welcome Mat (For Good), called her fans out to avoid shouting expletives at Evans.
"Guys, we have to stop saying that, seriously," Ballerini said. "We're three years past it. Everything's fine now, I sing this song for you now. It's not about me anymore."
The comment was apparently in reference to a trend of fans yelling an expletive about Evans after Ballerini sings the "rolling up the welcome mat" line. Ballerini previously commented on a TikToker's post urging fans not to yell during the song, saying "thank you for saying this."
Before Ballerini began to sing again, she asked fans to sing along: "All right. For everyone that's moving forward with their lives, will you sing this with me?"
'Kelsea Ballerini Live On Tour' tour dates, tickets
Ballerini's tour continues with a show at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, Texas on Feb. 26
Ballerini is set to play 17 more shows, including Wednesday night's show, at arenas across the country and Canada. Tickets for any and all shows are available online, or wherever tickets are sold.
Here's a list of all upcoming "Kelsea Ballerini Live On Tour" tour dates:
- 3/13: Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle, Washington
- 3/14: Spokane Area in Spokane, Washington
- 3/15: Moda Center in Portland, Oregon
- 3/18: Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, California
- 3/21: Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, California
- 3/22: Pechanga Arena in San Diego, California
- 3/25: Footprint Center in Phoenix, Arizona
- 3/28: T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada
- 3/29: Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah
- 3/30: Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado
- 4/1: T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Missouri
- 4/3: CHI Health Center in Omaha, Nebraska
- 4/4: Enterprise Center in St. Louis, Missouri
- 4/5: BOK Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma
- 4/8: Bon Secours Wellness Arena in Grenville, South Carolina
- 4/9: North Charleston Coliseum in North Charleston, South Carolina
- 4/11: KeyBank Center in Buffalo, New York
- 4/12: PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
- 4/13: Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Ontario
Contributing: Matthew Leimkuehler, The Tennessean part of the Paste BN Network
This story was updated to add a photograph.