Is it just me, or does the cosmos have a wicked sense of humor when it comes to love triangles and third times’ the charm—or total farewell? Kelsea Ballerini and Chase Stokes, who first sparked romance rumors back in 2023 at the College Football Playoff National Championship, are apparently calling it quits again, and this time, it seems Kelsea has firmly hit the eject button. With Uranus shaking things up and Mercury doing its usual retrograde dance, maybe the stars are telling us that some flames just aren’t meant to keep flickering. After a rollercoaster of breakups and reunions, complete with Instagram unfollows and heartfelt Grammy confessions, their third split sheds light on a love story as unpredictable as the celestial skies. Wondering what really went down behind the scenes and whether a cosmic alignment could ever mend this fractured bond? Dive into the twists and turns of their on-again, off-again saga to find out. LEARN MORE
The couple has reportedly gone their separate ways one month after they rekindled the flames of their romance, and this time, he might just be done for good.
Kelsea Ballerini and Chase Stokes were first introduced to the world as a couple in 2023 when they were spotted at the College Football Playoff National Championship in Los Angeles.
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A source close to the former couple confirmed that the split happened “just the other day,” and she is faring better than she had with their previous breakups.
The insider noted that while Stokes still feels positive about a rekindling, the singer is completely done this time and even unfollowed him on Instagram already.
The couple had broken up last September, just a few days after the Netflix star sent a birthday tribute to Ballerini on Instagram. As reported by US Weekly, they got back together again in November, and within weeks, things reportedly fell apart again.
By the end of 2025, Ballerini and Stokes made it clear that they were going into the New Year as a couple and even wrote statements on the social media account to show that they were in it for real this time.
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Things were still pretty solid between the duo as recently as early February, when Ballerini gushed about their relationship during an interview at the recently concluded Grammy Awards.
According to her, the situation surrounding their breakup was not as dramatic as it was portrayed, and at the core of their relationship with each other was undying love.
“I love him so much. We’ve been together for quite a while now and done a lot of life together, and he was with me getting ready today, and he’ll be with me when we wrap. I love love, and I believe it in it,” the singer affirmed.
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In July 2025, Ballerini spoke about the growth of their relationship and how they have evolved from the early days. The singer revealed that they constantly challenge each other in different ways, and that has proven to be very good for the progress of their connection.
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It was butterflies and good vibes for the former couple when they first got together in 2023, especially after Ballerini experienced a divorce from her ex-husband, Morgan Evans.
As noted by The Blast, insiders shared that up until the singer met Stokes, she struggled with finding anyone she was really compatible with, and they fell deeply in love as the months went by.
During an appearance on the “Call Her Daddy” podcast in 2023, Ballerini revealed that sharing an intimate relationship with Stokes redefined romantic relationships for her. She confessed that her previous experiences were very much performative and focused more on her partner.
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However, the on-and-off episodes tampered with Ballerini’s expectations for the relationship, which she felt would be more long-term. She believed he was very emotionally intelligent and different from every man she had met.

As the year began for the singer, she informed her teeming Instagram followers about the death of her darling dog, who she described as more than just a pet, but a light on her dark days, who died while being surrounded by those who loved him.
The Blast shared that condolences poured in from several corners in Ballerini’s comment section, including a comment from Stokes, who had nice things to say about the dog.
The carousel of images posted by the singer also featured Stokes spending some quality time with Ballerini’s pet, which is another testament to the fact that they were back together at the time.
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The former couple had reportedly mended fences towards the end of the year, and Stokes had urged his followers in his end-of-the-year post to take accountability and lean into life while saying it to their loved ones very often.
Stokes assured fans that the year 2026 will be one of growth across all facets of his life. On their previous breakups, sources close to the couple shared that the actor grew insecure about Ballerini’s fame and began to feel concerned about her independence.
The actor often felt she was not upfront about her schedules, and whenever she was faraway for work, she might be putting their bond at risk by unnecessarily flirting with other people.

Two months after their September split, Ballerini and the actor hung out at the Kiba Smash Burger in Dubrovnik, Croatia, in the first week of November, where an eyewitness spotted them holding hands and getting into long talks at the table. The couple reportedly exited the restaurant walking hand in hand towards Old Town.
Right before the Croatia outing, the duo were also sighted at the Cannonball Restaurant and Bar near Scotland’s Edinburgh Castle, where they also enjoyed a good meal. Stokes reportedly posed for pictures with fans outside the establishment and was nice throughout his stay.
About a month after their November sighting, Ballerini and Stokes went on a cryptic posting spree on their Instagram, probably hinting that things had gone to dust between them.
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While the singer asked that fans honor her space and respect her personal life, Stokes seemed to apologize to people who believed in them and urged them not to believe the media.
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