• News
  • Film and TV
  • Music
  • Tech
  • Features
  • Celebrity
  • Politics
  • Weird
  • Community
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • LADbible Group
  • LADbible
  • SPORTbible
  • GAMINGbible
  • Tyla
  • UNILAD Tech
  • FOODbible
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
Threads
TikTok
YouTube
Submit Your Content
Kelsea Ballerini performed with drag queens at awards show just a month after state banned drag queens

Home> Celebrity

Published 20:54 3 Apr 2023 GMT+1

Kelsea Ballerini performed with drag queens at awards show just a month after state banned drag queens

In a powerful message, Kelsea Ballerini performed with drag queens just a month after the state where she performed banned them

Callum Jones

Callum Jones

While it may not be the biggest event on the calendar, the CMT Music Awards often provide a lot of entertainment to country music lovers.

In what is uniquely a fan-voted awards show, many famous faces in the genre gather to see if they can scoop an award.

One of those who had a big night at the CMT's last night was Kelsea Ballerini, who announced her relationship with Chase Stokes before the action had even got underway on the red carpet.

Advert

Ballerini was in the spotlight once more at the start of the show, as she delivered a powerful message about US school shootings in her role as co-host.

In particular, she touched on the recent Nashville school shooting which saw six people innocently killed.

Kelsea Ballerini delivered a lot of powerful messages at the CMT Music Awards.
Sipa US / Alamy Stock Photo

Ballerini called for change to help prevent similar travesties happening again in the future.

Advert

"I pray deeply that the closeness and the community that we feel for the next few hours through music can soon turn into action - like, real action - that moves us forward together to create change for the safety of our kids and our loved ones," she said.

Another powerful moment Ballerini delivered during the show was her performance of 'If You Go Down', alongside RuPaul's Drag Race stars Kennedy Davenport, Jan Sport, Olivia Lux and Manila Luzon.

It was quite the moment, as Tennessee - the state where the 2023 CMT Music Awards was held - passed a legislation which essentially banned drag shows last month.

Despite that, Ballerini decided to go ahead with the performance in what was a powerful stance for representation.

Advert

Following the performance, Entertainment Tonight spoke to the drag queens about their performance.

"Just like all these amazing country music artists, we drag queens are also artists. And we deserve a space to be ourselves, express ourselves, and create something wonderful for everyone to enjoy," Luzon said.

Ballerini's performance with the drag queens has been praised by viewers.
Sipa US / Alamy Stock Photo

Meanwhile, Lux heaped praised on Ballerini for promoting the community on such a big stage.

Advert

"Kelsea made it really clear in the rehearsal room and took even during right before the stage that she was like take up that space, you know, this is your time as well, and amplify the fact that you're here," Lux said.

"Even the song, if you're going down, I'm going down too -- it is about the celebration of being a community.

"And I think that's what we did on the stage tonight. And I really hope that transcended some people as well. It felt like it did."

Featured Image Credit: Twitter/@CMT

Topics: Music

Callum Jones
Callum Jones

Advert

Advert

Advert

Choose your content:

14 hours ago
15 hours ago
18 hours ago
20 hours ago
  • 14 hours ago

    Arnold Schwarzenegger speaks out on his viral reaction to seeing son's ‘weenie’ on hit HBO show

    Arnie said it was somewhat of a shock to see so much of his son on television

    Celebrity
  • 15 hours ago

    Fans just learning of horrifying tactic paparazzi used on Emma Watson at 18th birthday and it's leaving them 'disgusted'

    People condemned the disgusting act by the paparazzi

    Celebrity
  • 18 hours ago

    Sabrina Carpenter has sharp 6-word response to tweet asking if she has 'a personality outside of sex'

    Sabrina Carpenter hit back with a tongue-in-cheek remark

    Celebrity
  • 20 hours ago

    Grey's Anatomy star Eric Dane details subtle first symptom he experienced before heartbreaking ALS diagnosis

    The actor announced he had been diagnosed back in April

    Celebrity
  • Jim Carrey was praised for perfect reaction after Cameron Diaz was forcefully kissed at awards show
  • Woman who was a seat filler at The Emmy Awards describes what really happens during the show
  • Fans shocked after Beyoncé pulled banned gesture during NFL halftime show that gets players fined
  • 50 Cent says he only performed at Super Bowl because Eminem refused to perform without him