Kelsea Ballerini Performs With Drag Queens At CMT Awards After Nashville Tries To Pass Anti-Drag Law

Kelsea Ballerina showed his support for drag queens amid the controversial bill lawmakers are trying to implement in Nashville, Tennessee, where he lives. At the CMT Awards on April 2, Kelsea took the stage to perform her song “If You Go Down (I’m Goin’ Down, Too),” and invited four drag queens on stage with her.

Kelsea Ballerini proudly performs “If You Go Down (I’m Goin’ Down Too)” with a Drag Queens Parade at Press #CMTA! 💋 pic.twitter.com/3O6H0wblpl

— Ian Saint (@iansaint_) April 3, 2023

The performance comes just days after Kelsea released the highly anticipated music video for her latest hit, which features a Don’t worry honeyinspired storyline. The video takes place in a classic 1960s/70s cul-de-sac community, complete with the retro fashion Kelsea wore to tonight’s show and some nosy neighbors. It’s safe to say we preferred the drag queens she had on stage at the CMT Awards! Just like in the music video, Kelsea played her girlfriend while she also planned some seriously heinous acts with her equally crazy friends. It was a fun break from hosting duties as she took the stage in her fifth outfit of the night.

Kelsea’s decision to include drag queens in her performance at the CMT Music Awards is notable as it comes after a federal judge temporarily blocked Tennessee’s controversial law banning drag performances, hours before it went into effect. . The pioneering legislation was deemed too vague and broad, and the state failed to provide a good reason to benefit Tennessee, US District Judge Thomas Parker wrote in his ruling. Country artists included maren morris, Sheryl Raven and others gathered at the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville last week to host and benefit the Tennessee Equality Project, Inclusion Tennessee, Out Memphis and the Tennessee Pride Chamber in association with the Looking Out Foundation.

This wasn’t the only time Kelsea got into politics tonight. She opened the CMT Music Awards with a moving tribute to the lives lost in the tragic shooting at the Nashville Covenant school on March 27. He told the crowd as he stood on a darkened stage, “Three 9-year-olds, Evelyn Dieckhaus, Hallie Scruggs, William Kinney, along with Katherine Koonce, Cynthia Peak and Mike Hill, walked into Covenant School and weren’t. The community of grief over this and the 130 mass shootings in the United States this year alone stretches from coast to coast.” She went on to recall witnessing the loss of her classmate to gun violence in the school cafeteria.

so proud of @KelseaBallerini to step up and start the CHANGE! Press #CMTA pic.twitter.com/dBG4GtEpmd

—DarleneRaye (@DarleneRaye13) April 3, 2023

“Tonight’s broadcast is dedicated to the ever-growing list of families, friends, survivors, witnesses and first responders whose lives continue to be changed forever by gun violence,” he continued. “I deeply pray that the closeness and community we feel in the next few hours of music translates into actions, like real actions, that move us together to create change for the safety of our children and loved ones.”

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