5 Times Kelsea Ballerini Was An LGBTQ Ally
The Grammy nominee has frequently used her power, voice, and platform to support her gay, lesbian, and trans fans.
Throughout her career, Kelsea Ballerini has never been shy about her unflappable love of the LGBTQ community.
She regularly speaks up in support of advances made and decries bad actors and unjust laws. While this is nothing new for the country musician, she recently took her allyship to a new level at the 2023 CMT Awards.
Some are just now realizing who Ballerini is and how much she’s done for the LGBTQ community, while others have known all along…and loved her for it.
Read on below to learn more about times the Grammy nominee used her power, voice, and platform to support her gay, lesbian, and trans fans.
Her Performance At The 2023 CMT Awards
At the 2023 CMT Awards, Ballerini had a lot on her plate, taking on three roles for the evening. She was not only a double nominee, but also co-hosted the show alongside fellow country artist Kane Brown and performed.
Ballerini also took the stage to showcase her hit single “If You Go Down (I’m Goin’ Down Too),” but what really stole the show was when she was joined by RuPaul’s Drag Race stars Manila Luzon, Kennedy Davenport, Jan Sport, and Olivia Lux. The queens added their energy and joy to Ballerini’s performance, hyping up the crowd with their dance moves.
The spectacle concluded with a rainbow backdrop in a powerful statement protesting Tennessee’s anti-drag and anti-trans legislation.
Supporting Pride
Ballerini is an unwavering ally of the LGBTQ community, and she shows her support every June during Pride month. Through her social media, she expresses her love and acceptance, encouraging her followers to do the same and recognize the LGBTQ community.
In 2019, she shared a photo on Facebook wearing a rainbow sweater, captioning it with a heartfelt message: “Sending love to my LGBTQ friends today, this month, and always.” Her support continued a year later when she applauded the Supreme Court’s historic decision in favor of equal rights for LGBTQ individuals on Twitter.
Helping The Trevor Project
On March 2023, Kelsea Ballerini graced the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino stage in Atlantic City, NJ, for a highly anticipated performance.
In the lead-up to her sold-out show, the venue took the opportunity to recognize Ballerini’s efforts towards promoting inclusivity and mental health awareness.
The Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter was presented with a check, but it was not for her. The Hard Rock chose to honor her dedication to the LGBTQ community and her advocacy for mental health by donating $5,000 to The Trevor Project.
Collaborating With Fletcher
At the start of 2023, openly queer musician Fletcher delighted fans with the release of her latest single, “Better Version.” The song, which features Ballerini, is included on the deluxe edition of her debut album, Girl of My Dreams. The music video for the track generated a lot of buzz for its suggestive nature, featuring Fletcher and Ballerini in separate relationships but with an undeniable chemistry between them.
While things don’t heat up between the two singers, Fletcher does engage in a steamy encounter with another woman in the video, leaving fans guessing about what might happen next. It’s worth noting that Fletcher and Ballerini are real-life friends, adding an extra layer of meaning to their musical collaboration.
Assisting The HRC
At the start of 2022, Kelsea Ballerini showed her support for the LGBTQ community once again by attending the 2022 HRC Nashville Dinner.
This annual fundraiser’s aim, hosted by the local chapter of the Human Rights Campaign, is to raise awareness and funds for LGBTQ rights. While she didn’t perform at the event (that honor went to Shea Diamond), Ballerini’s presence alone brought a level of star power to the gathering that is rarely seen.
Her attendance helped attract donors and media attention, making it one of the biggest wins for the organization in terms of hosting a successful soiree.
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