Kelsea Ballerini is playing the part of good sport after seemingly calling out her 2025 Academy of Country Music Awards losses, which included two trophies lost to Lainey Wilson.
“Just stopping in to say I respect the hell out of @laineywilson. As an artist, entertainer, and friend,” Ballerini wrote in her Instagram Stories on Saturday, May 10. “A deserving queen.”
Kelsea Ballerini/Instagram
At the ACM Awards ceremony on Thursday, May 8, Ballerini was up for Entertainer of the Year, Female Artist of the Year, and Music Event of the Year, sharing that third nomination with Noah Kahan. She lost the first two to Wilson and the third to Ella Langley and Riley Green.
Following those defeats, Ballerini shared photos of Mean Girls’ “And none for Gretchen Weiners” scene on Instagram. And Chase Stokes, her boyfriend, updated Instagram to declare Ballerini “Entertainer of the Year.”
One X user criticized Ballerini and Stokes’ social media reactions as unprofessional. “I understand being upset, but going online to rip into someone is childish,” that user wrote.
Other users, however, rose to Ballerini’s defense. “Kelsea Ballerini is the most EOTY [Entertainer of the Year] of all EOTY nominated,” one said. “It is crazy how she keeps getting robbed.”
Another person wrote, “Forever waiting for Kelsea Ballerini to get the recognition that she so clearly deserves at these award shows.”
For country music fans, Ballerini’s reaction might have been a flashback to the 2024 Grammy Awards, when she lost to Wilson in the Best Country Album category. At the time, viewers pointed out Ballerini looking upset about her loss.
“You can be bummed for your loss and happy for somebody else’s win at the same time,” the Voice coach said at the time. “Two things can be true and both hold valid and valuable space. The face reading and reaction analysis is unnecessary and hurtful to everyone. A woman’s win is a team win.”
Ballerini has reason to feel snubbed by the Academy of Country Music. After winning New Female Vocalist of the Year at the ACM Awards in 2015 and the Gene Weed Milestone Award at the show the following year, the “Cowboys Cry Too” singer has earned a dozen more nominations but zero wins.
Meanwhile, Ballerini has only won twice at the Country Music Association Awards, despite 14 nominations, and she has yet to win at the Grammy Awards, despite five nominations.