Kelsea Ballerini and Morgan Evans Shutterstock (2)
Their new normal. Kelsea Ballerini shed some light on where she stands with ex-husband Morgan Evans.
During an appearance on the “Call Her Daddy” podcast, which was posted on Wednesday, February 22, Ballerini, 29, recalled the “really beautiful” conversation she had with Evans, 37, before they called it quits.
“I was just really honest. I was like, ‘I’ve loved what this has brought in my life and I respect you and I respect me and because of that, I can no longer be in this marriage,’” she detailed. “We cried, we hugged. It was sweet. And then something changed and I haven’t talked to him since.”
The Tennessee native noted that things took a turn when they announced their split.
“Who you marry is not who you divorce. As he’s putting out a song about being blindsided, he’s taking half the house that he didn’t pay for,” Ballerini said, referring to Evans’ recent EP about their breakup. “Hurt people, hurt people. I totally get that.”
She continued: “And I have grace, I really do, because I do know that he was hurt and is hurt, but how was I married to this person for so long and I had no idea that that bit of character was tucked within that human being? That’s what’s hard for me.”
The songwriter clarified that the Australia native was not entirely to blame for the downfall of their marriage.
“I was not perfect, he was not perfect, it was not perfect. And so, there were definitely moments that I look back on where I’m like, ‘Oh, I should of done that different,’ or, ‘I could of showed up here. I could of taken the flight this time,’” Ballerini, who is currently dating Chase Stokes, added. “And in the unraveling, that thing I ended up sharing with him, just saying like, ‘I need to own the last few years of like, I think, I checked out a long time ago and I need to let you know that.’”
Morgan Evans and Kelsea Ballerini attend the 52nd Annual CMA Awards on November 14, 2018 in Nashville, Tennessee. Evan Agostini/Invision/AP/Shutterstock
The former couple announced their decision to part ways after nearly five years of marriage in August 2022.
“Friends, I’ve always tried my best to share my life with you in a real and vulnerable way, while also protecting layers of my personal life as they unfold,” Ballerini wrote via her Instagram Story at the time. “This is now public record so I wanted you to hear from me directly that I am going through a divorce.”
The “Rolling Up the Welcome Mat” singer concluded: “This deeply difficult decision is the result of a journey of love, growth, and effort that ultimately has come to an end. It’s hard to find the words here … but I feel extremely grateful for the years of marriage to Morgan and hopeful for the next seasons. With very active schedules coming up, please be mindful that we are both fragile, actively healing, and showing up the best we can.”
Evans, however, hinted that he wasn’t as on board to pull the plug, writing via Instagram, “I am very sad to confirm that after almost 5 years of marriage, Kelsea and I are parting ways. I wish it were otherwise but sadly it is not.”
Us Weekly confirmed that same month that Ballerini filed for divorce, which was finalized three months later.
Ahead of the country singer’s candid podcast appearance, Evans spoke out about Ballerini’s claims.
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“It’s really sad for me to see this person, who I spent so much of my life with, and loved with all my heart, saying things that aren’t reality and that leave out what really happened,” he tweeted and shared via Instagram on Tuesday, February 21. “She knows I’m not the type of guy to speak on those things publicly. If this is what she needs to heal, I hope it helps. All I ask is that if you’re on my pages, please don’t be mean. Don’t be mean to Kelsea, don’t be mean to each other. Life’s too short.”