What Ultimately Led To Kelsea Ballerini And Morgan Evans' Divorce?

Six years after country stars Kelsea Ballerini and Morgan Evans shared their first kiss at a CMC Awards after-party, the last notes of their whirlwind romance faded into silence as they finalized their divorce in 2022. The split came as a shock to fans of the couple's outward devotion to each other and musical collaborations, but for Ballerini, it was unavoidable. 

In an announcement posted to her Instagram story, Ballerini wrote, "This deeply difficult decision is the result of a journey of love, growth, and effort that ultimately has come to an end." Soon after, Evans added an online statement of his own, writing: "Kelsea and I are parting ways. I wish it were otherwise, but sadly, it is not" (via People).

While both singers kept the finer details of their breakup private, Ballerini revealed to CBS News that the breakup was "rough," adding, "It's not, like, volatile. It just didn't work." She said that she and Evans were both good people — just not good for each other.

Kelsea Ballerini, who called herself "a people pleaser" in her October 2022 CBS interview, is no stranger to the consequences of staying in a relationship past its expiration date. The singer published a poetry book titled "Feel Your Way Through" in 2021 that detailed how watching her parents' divorce affected her view on relationships and turned her off to the idea of marriage.

In a November 2021 interview with People, Ballerini called her parents' split "super-messy and really drawn out." The country star credited this experience for shaping her perspective of her marriage with Morgan Evans. "I have a different idea of marriage, but I would think I have a healthier idea of marriage," she told People. "I don't see it as a fairytale-esque, ride-off-into-the-sunset kind of thing. It's work, but it's worth it."

Ballerini and Evans attended couple therapy throughout their relationship, but the pair couldn't make it work — and for Ballerini, that's okay. While on an episode of "Live From Bed with Jade Iovine" (formerly known as "Tell Me About It with Jade Iovine," Ballerini said that staying with Evans would have been a "disservice and a dishonoring of yourself if you know something is not right and you just stay." She added, "[Shame] is one thing that I just refuse to feel."

Kelsea Ballerini and Morgan Evans met as successful musicians of the same genre, which made their partnership seem like a perfect match. However, Ballerini detailed how mismatched the pair's priorities were on an episode of the "Call Her Daddy" podcast in February 2023. She recalled several nights where the couple slept in separate rooms, adding to the disconnection they already felt due to their busy work schedules. 

"I was getting resentful because any time we did see each other, I felt like I was carrying that load, and I was tired," Ballerini admitted. The singer also revealed that Morgan was ready to have kids, but she wasn't. "I was like, 'I'm not there yet, and I can't do that to save this [relationship] and give you something that I'm not ready for.'" Evans even tried to get Ballerini to freeze her eggs, which the singer recalled "was not a good day."

While their breakup was undoubtedly difficult, the singers seem to be moving on as single stars. In a November 2022 performance at the Grand Ole Opry, Ballerini told the audience that she had finalized her divorce, got the keys to her new house, and was nominated for a Grammy Award, all before making her way to the Opry stage. "And s***, if that ain't country music, I don't know what is," the singer said (via X, formerly known as Twitter).