In what could be the final chapter to an on-again, off-again saga, Kelsea Ballerini has broken up for a third time with Chase Stokes, despite their recent reunion last year.
The split emerged just weeks after the couple announced they were back together. “Kelsea and Chase have separated once more,” a source from Us Weekly confirmed, noting that Ballerini, 32, is handling it better than in past instances and has decided to move forward definitively.
Fans observed a shift in social media dynamics: Kelsea had unfollowed Chase on Instagram while he continued following her. The couple first linked up in January 2023 before splitting only two days after Stokes shared an emotional birthday post for Ballerini, encouraging her to “look forward” to more of their journey together.
The pair’s tumultuous relationship began and ended under the spotlight. They were linked just a month apart, with their final public interaction being Stokes sharing a heartfelt birthday message on September 12, 2025, shortly before they announced their reconnection for New Year’s Eve in a touching Instagram post.
Ballerini revealed her feelings in a thoughtful Instagram Story the following day, acknowledging the complex nature of their experiences. “This year has been messy for my heart and for our external portrayal,” she wrote. “But what I want to say definitively is that I truly adore love. I believe in it with all my heart.”
Kelsea reiterated her feelings in a subsequent interview at the Grammy Awards, asserting, “I deeply admire him; we’ve navigated life together for quite some time now and he’s by my side today. Moving forward, I’ll continue to cherish this belief in love.”