Kelsea Ballerini Prepares for First Date with Chase Stokes in Throwback Video

Kelsea Ballerini shared a never-before-seen video of herself preparing for her first date with Chase Stokes, several months after they first sparked romance rumors.

By Corinne Heller Aug 19, 2023 10:51 PMTags
Watch: Chase Stokes Officially Confirms He's Dating Kelsea Ballerini

Kelsea Ballerini is pulling back the curtain on the start of her relationship with Chase Stokes.

The singer posted a never-before-seen throwback video of herself preparing for her first date with the Outer Banks actor. She shared the clip on TikTok Aug. 19, six months after they first sparked romance rumors. She captioned the post, "Happy weekend heres a video i sent to my best friend before my first date with chase #howdoidothis #rollingupthewelcomemat."

The clip is set to Kelsea's new song "How Do I Do This," which is about going on a first date in many years. The singer wears a black, spaghetti strap, floral mini dress with black cowboy boots.

"Here's the look, with the boots" Kelsea says in the video, which shows her checking herself out in a full-length mirror.

Turning around to showcase her half-up, half-down hairstyle, she adds, "We've got the hair clip, because we're trying to be a cool girl."

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Kelsea Ballerini's Social Media Confessions

Kelsea continues, telling the original recipient of the clip, "He's picking me up and we're going to a sushi place and I'll call you tomorrow and for a full update."

Taking a deep breath and raising one arm and finger in the air, she says, "I can do this. I can do this." Kelsea then waves her arm around and does a little dance. "It's just a date," she says. "You just go and you just eat food and you talk about things that you do, OK?"

TikTok / Kelsea Ballerini

In February, Kelsea, 29, revealed on the Call Her Daddy podcast that she and Chase, 30, began communicating in December—four months after she announced her split from husband Morgan Evans after almost five years of marriage. She also said she made the first move.

"I slid into his DMs," she said. "I was just like, 'I'm not gonna get on an app.' And honestly, he shoots in Charleston and my manager lives there and he put the bug in my ear. He was like, 'You know who's really cute? When you're ready. Chase.' And I was like, 'You're so right.'"

She continued, "I've never seen the show but I just knew of him and yeah, I followed him and he followed me and I just swan dove right on in. His handle is @hichasestokes and I said, 'Hi Chase Stokes.'"

But the two first sparked romance rumors in January after they were photographed looking cozy at a football game.

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Kelsea Ballerini's Best Looks

A month later, the actor shared a pic of the two showing some PDA and in March, confirmed on Today that he is dating the country star. Kelsea and Chase then made their red carpet debut as a couple at the 2023 CMT Music Awards in April. In May, the actor joined the singer on a trip to her hometown of Knoxville, Tenn.

In July, Kelsea opened up about their now-public relationship, telling Stylecaster, "The thing that we've decided, and to each their own, is when you're with someone that you feel secure with and that you're proud to be with, why not share it?"

She added, "He's also a Virgo; we're both Labrador Retrievers in human form. It doesn't take much conversation to be on the same page. It's been half a year and it's been great."

Earlier this month, Chase joined the singer at a fan event and screening of her Rolling Up the Welcome Mat short film in New York and at her performance on Today. "It's just nice to feel so supported and seen," Kelsea said on the NBC show, "and, yeah, he's such a wonderful, wonderful human being."

Look back at Kelsea and Chase's road to romance below:

January 2024: Happy Anniversary

The two celebrate the anniversary of their first date.

January 2024: Watching the Sunset

Kelsea shares this romantic pic on their first dating anniversary.

January 2024: Naughty Selfie

"A whole trip around the sun with my bestie," Kelsea writes in her anniversary post. "@hichasestokes thanks for making me write love songs."

January 2024: Chase's Anniversary Post

"One year of lovin you," the actor writes. "P.s. told ya I wouldn’t embarrass you."

November 2023: Sex Confession

Kelsea revealed details of their sex life in November 2023, telling Alex Cooper on Call Her Daddy, "I'm having a nice time."

"My experience with it was very performative and for the other person," she noted. "And it don't be like that anymore."

The musician didn't understand how sex could be "a real connector in a relationship" before dating him.

"I always thought that it was just something that you did because that's who you do it with," the Grammy nominee shared. "Now I realize it's a connector for people."

November 2023: Loving Like They Mean It

Kelsea plants a smooch on Chase's cheek at the CMA Awards in November 2023.

September 2023: A Black Tie Affair

Kelsea and Chase are dressed to the nines when they attended designer Giorgio Armani's One Night Only event on in Venice, Italy. 

The singer-songwriter and the Outer Banks star share images of their getaway on Instagram, including snaps from a cooking class and lounging at the beach.

September 2023: All Smiles

Kelsea shares this behind-the-scenes look from the event.

September 2023: Birthday Love

To commemorate Kelsea's 30th birthday on Sept. 12, 2023 Chase posts a carousel of photos and videos of the three-time Grammy nominee. 

"Dirty 30 looks pretty damn good on you ballerini," he captions the series. "i love you."

September 2023: Couple's Selfie

Kelsea unveils this pic on Chase's 31st birthday days later.

September 2023: Red Hot

The two appear together at the 2023 MTV VMAs on Kelsea's birthday.

September 2023: Red Carpet Romance

The two share a kiss at the event.

August 2023: NYC Date Night

The two are spotted on a summer date in NYC, where she performs on TODAY.

"It's just nice to feel so supported and seen," Kelsea says on the show of Chase, "and, yeah, he's such a wonderful, wonderful human being."

August 2023: Ciao Bella

The couple only have eyes for one another at a Venice Film Festival event.

July 2023: The Sweetest Surprise

Chase shocks Kelsea when he unexpectedly greets her at the airport, with both stars posting video and photos from their adorable reunion. 

July 2023: PDA Alert

The two attend Armani Beauty's ACQUA DI GIO and Gen A celebration in Malibu, Calif.

May 2023: Hometown Visit

Chase joins Kelsea on a trip to her hometown of Knoxville, Tenn.

April 2023: Red Carpet Debut

The pair officially step out as a couple at the CMT Music Awards.

April 2023: Broadway Baby

The twosome attend the premiere party for the Broadway musical Shucked at Capitale.

April 2023: Award Show PDA

The two showcase their love on the CMAs red carpet.

February 2023: Instagram Cuteness

Chase shares a pic of himself and Kelsea showing some PDA.

January 2023: First Date Nerves

In August 2023, Kelsea posts footage of the beginning of their relationship, sharing a throwback clip on TikTok of herself preparing for their first official date on Jan. 7, 2023. 

"Happy weekend," she captions the post, "heres a video i sent to my best friend before my first date with chase."

Set to her song "How Do I Do This," which is about going on a first date after many years, Kelsea models her outfit in the video.

"Here's the look, with the boots" Kelsea says while checking herself out in a full-length mirror. Turning around to showcase her half-up, half-down hairstyle, she adds, "We've got the hair clip, because we're trying to be a cool girl."

She continues speaking to an unnamed friend, explaining, "He's picking me up and we're going to a sushi place and I'll call you tomorrow and for a full update."

Taking a deep breath and raising one arm and finger in the air, she finally says, "I can do this. I can do this." And, after doing a little dance, she proclaims, "It's just a date. You just go and you just eat food and you talk about things that you do, OK?"

January 2023: Romance Rumors

The two are photographed looking cozy at a football game.

December 2022: Shooting Her Shot

Kelsea Ballerini slides into Chase Stokes' DMs on Dec. 1, 2022 at 1:30 a.m. while she was out drunk with friends at a bar.

They eventually met up in person for the first time on Jan. 7, 2023, which she considers their anniversary. 

"He hopped out of his Bronco, and he did not say a word to me," Kelsea later recalls on Call Her Daddy in November 2023, "and he grabbed my face and he kissed me and he pulled my face away and he said, 'Thank God you're real.'"

December 2022: Shooting Her Shot

Their romance blossomed after that first DM, which Kelsea shares in September 2023.

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