If you have been following the quickly moving relationship between country music star Kelsea Ballerini and actor Chase Stokes, rest assured that you are not alone.

The couple has been hot and heavy since January of 2023.

Kelsea Ballerini + Chase Stokes: Who Said “I Love You” First?

I recently had the chance to have a long conversation with Ballerini, on Taste of Country Nights with Evan Paul, and upon asking her how her boyfriend was doing, I could see her instantly light up.

Next, the question of who said I love you first was asked. Ballerini, got semi-red in the face and firmly said, “Stokes,” then giggled with joy, like a girl who’s smitten.

The follow-up question was, “Where were y’all?” The “Peter Pan” singer said, “Charleston. We were in an Uber.”

As far as nicknames the couple have for each other, Ballerini spilled the tea as well.

“I call him Stokes and he calls me Ballerini,” she says.

Look for the “If You Go Down (I’m Going Down Too)” hitmaker to appear on The Voice in 2025. She was recently announced as a coach for Season 25, but before that she’s due to drop new music.

Fans have noticed her low-key teasing some kind of new project amid photo dumps on Instagram. Her last studio album was Subject To Change in 2022, although her Rolling Up the Welcome Mat EP (2023) garnered significant critical acclaim.

After the interview wrapped, as we were walking out, Ballerini said that she couldn’t believe I got that out of her. Seems as if Ballerini and Stokes are trying to keep as much of their public relationship private as possible and she let this detail slip in the moment.

There is no doubt that the two are seriously in love with one another. They split their time between South Carolina, where Stokes lives, and Nashville, where Ballerini lives.

Evan Paul is the host of Taste of Country Nights, a syndicated radio show heard on more than 130 country radio stations nationwide, every night from 7PM to midnight. He plays the best new country music and interviews today’s top stars, like Luke Combs, Morgan Wallen, Kenny Chesney, Miranda Lambert, Dan + Shay, Keith Urban, Carrie Underwood, Luke Bryan, Chris Stapleton, Lady A, + more!