Kelsea Ballerini Wants Fans to Move On From Her Divorce — And She’s Putting Her Foot Down About “Penthouse”
Three years after her split from Morgan Evans, Kelsea Ballerini is ready to leave the past exactly where it belongs. But some fans just won’t let it go — and the country star is over it.
Back in 2022, Ballerini and Evans ended their nearly five-year marriage. Both artists processed the breakup the way songwriters do: through music. Evans released “Over for You,” while Ballerini answered with the raw, unfiltered Rolling Up The Welcome Mat, which ignited a fan-fueled narrative around their divorce.
Songs like “Penthouse” quickly became crowd favorites, especially the fiery line fans love to scream:
“You got half!”
But for Ballerini, that chant has crossed the line from cathartic to exhausting.
“We’re three years past it.”
@carlyrsilverman Update: I didn’t even hear what she was talking about until the comments! Good for her! #kelseaballerini #kelseaballeriniconcert #kelseaballerinitok #kelseaballerinipenthouse #penthouse #kelseaballerinilive ♬ original sound – Carly Silverman
At a show earlier this year, Ballerini stopped mid-performance after fans yelled the infamous line yet again.
“Guys, we have to stop saying that… we’re three years past it. Everything’s fine now. I sing the song for you now — it’s not about me anymore. Please.”
Fans took the hint.
Or so she thought.
Sydney… did not get the memo.
@tanyaamitchell Can we all move on and along now please! This is such a beautiful song and people just have to ruin it! 😭 LOVE YOU KELSEA GIRL! @Kelsea Ballerini #kesleaballerini #kelseaballeriniconcert #sydney #australia ♬ original sound – tanyamitchell
During a recent show in Australia, someone yelled “Team Morgan!” during “Penthouse.”
Ballerini shut it down immediately:
“F* off… Team everyone’s happy.”**
She even threw a playful bird, clearly fed up.
Later, she shared a warning on Instagram:
“Respectfully, if anyone yells anything disrespectful again during this song, it will no longer be on the set list.”
She pleaded with fans to understand:
“Let this be a song that matters to people — not a place to insert yourself into a world that was never yours to begin with.”
Ballerini Offers a Rare Admission: “I could have been more gentle.”
The next night, Ballerini addressed the moment head-on. While introducing “Penthouse,” she opened up about how her new EP Mount Pleasant has reshaped her perspective.
Now 32, she says she sees her past choices — and the way she expressed her heartbreak — differently.
“Welcome Mat changed my life… but I could have been a little bit more gentle.”
She wasn’t apologizing for the honesty, but acknowledging growth:
“Breakups come with two sides of big feelings. I’m proud of the project — it was real — but a lot of people were hurt because of it.”
@ana_marissa listen to her!!!!! and (respectfully) just simply leave her alone 🤍 @Kelsea Ballerini #kelseaballerini #australia #therevisionist #kelseaballeriniconcert #fyp ♬ original sound – ana ❤️🔥
She added with humor:
“Hindsight is the most healing thing. I look back and go, ‘I get it… but damn it, Kels.’”
And yes — she still planned on having those margaritas after the show.
Fans may still love the drama, but Ballerini doesn’t live there anymore.
While Rolling Up The Welcome Mat remains deeply meaningful for many listeners, Ballerini is past the bitterness that fueled it. She wants the music to evolve — and wants her fans to evolve with her.
Healing, maturity, and emotional growth are now the themes she stands behind.
And for her, that means leaving the chants, teams, and old wounds behind.