Kelsea Ballerini Rocks Open Back Dress At CMAs & Changes Into Strapless Denim Mini For Performance

Less than three months after confirming her divorce, Kelsea Ballerini hit the CMA Awards in style.

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Kelsea Ballerini came to slay on the CMA Awards red carpet! The gorgeous country singer looked beyond stunning in her ensemble for award show night. She wore a long-sleeved, neon blue dress as she strutted down the red carpet. The ensemble featured gloves and an open back. Kelsea completed the look with her hair styled long and straight, parted down the middle. She also wore pointed-toed shoes, which peeked out the bottom of her gown.

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Kelsea Ballerini at CMA Awards. (Matt Baron/BEI/Shutterstock)

The CMA Awards are a big night for Kelsea, as was nominated AND performed at the show. Not only was Kelsea up for Single of the Year for her song “Half of My Hometown” — she lost to Jordan Davis — but hit the stage with Kelly Clarkson and Carly Pearce for an epic performance. The ladies sang their collab “You’re Drunk, Go Home,” which was featured on Kelsea’s Sept. 2022 album Subject To Change. Kelsea changed from her red carpet dress into a strapless denim mini dress and thigh-high boots for the performance.

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Kelsea performing with Kelly and Carly. (
Mark Humphrey/Invision/AP/Shutterstock)

This event is Kelsea’s first major awards show since her split from husband, Morgan Evans, during the summer of 2022. The couple announced their split once Kelsea filed for divorce in August. “This deeply difficult decision is the result of a journey of love, growth and effort that has ultimately come to an end,” Kelsea wrote on Instagram. “It’s extremely difficult to find the words here, but I feel extremely grateful for the years of marriage with Morgan and hopeful for the next seasons.”

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Kelsea at the 2022 CMA Awards. (Matt Baron/BEI/Shutterstock)

Kelsea and Morgan were married for nearly five years when they called it quits. Morgan hinted that he was blindsided by the breakup when he debuted the heartbreaking new song “Over For You” at the end of September. “How long have you been breaking, when I’m just finding out?” Morgan sings in the song. He also croons, “I would’ve let you go if you wanted me to, how many times did you say you love me when it wasn’t true? I’m just wondering, how long has it been over for you?”

Meanwhile, Kelsea opened up further about the divorce in an interview with CBS Mornings. “It’s not chaotic, it’s not volatile. It just didn’t work,” she insisted. “And that sometimes is a difficult narrative to get your head around when you’re just like, ‘Oh my gosh, this is a good person, and I’m a good person, and this just isn’t good anymore.'” Their divorce was finalized a week before the CMA Awards.