Kelsea Ballerini and Chase Stokes have ended their relationship after nearly three years, People reported Sunday, citing people close to the couple.
The split comes two days after Stokes posted a loving Instagram birthday message to Ballerini calling her "my love," and follows a period in which the pair publicly attended events together and spoke about working on their relationship. "They're two adults who gave it their all and tried to do everything they could to make it work, but ultimately couldn't," sources told People. "It happens."
Representatives for both Ballerini and Stokes did not immediately respond to requests for comment, and Page Six reported that neither rep had replied to inquiries at the time of publication.
The two first sparked dating speculation in January 2023, when Stokes posted a photo of the pair appearing close while watching the College Football Playoff National Championship. A month later he shared an image of Ballerini kissing him. They went on to make several red-carpet appearances together and were photographed showing public affection at the 2024 CMA Awards.
Ballerini, a country singer, and Stokes, known for his role on the Netflix series Outer Banks, spoke openly about the work they put into the relationship. In April, Ballerini told People she and Stokes attend therapy together and described her evolving view of love as "practical." "I look at love really practically now, and somehow it's my favorite version of it," she said, adding that therapy was part of how they kept the relationship healthy. "He helps me see the best things about myself and vice versa," she told the outlet. "Now my version of love that I've found, it's steady and it's human, and we work on it."
Despite those remarks and recent public displays of support, sources said the couple ultimately could not reconcile their differences. Page Six reported that Ballerini's most recent Instagram post before news of the split was a carousel of photos and memes posted Thursday that did not include Stokes; on Friday Stokes posted birthday photos of the two and wrote, "Happy birthday my love ❤️." People cited friends and acquaintances in reporting the breakup.
The pair's relationship drew attention because of their high-profile careers and visible appearances together. Ballerini has continued touring and recording as a country artist while Stokes maintains acting commitments, factors that have contributed to scrutiny into their personal lives but were not cited by sources as the reason for the split.
Photographs of the former couple and solo images of Stokes circulated on social media and in entertainment outlets after the report of the breakup.
Both Ballerini and Stokes have been candid in past interviews about using therapy and communication to manage relationship challenges. Their split, as described by sources to People, concludes a relationship that began in public view in early 2023 and included multiple high-profile appearances and mutual expressions of support.