Kelsea Ballerini responded to her ACM Awards losses and praised Lainey Wilson amid social media speculation.
Kelsea Ballerini has publicly addressed the results of the 2025 Academy of Country Music Awards, where she went home without a win despite three nominations.
The country star took to Instagram on May 10 to clarify her stance following speculation that she was upset about Lainey Wilson’s sweep of major categories.
“Just stopping in to say I respect the hell out of laineywilson. As an artist, entertainer, and friend,” Ballerini posted to her Instagram Stories. “A deserving queen.”
At the ACM Awards held on May 8, Ballerini was nominated for Entertainer of the Year, Female Artist of the Year, and Music Event of the Year (alongside Noah Kahan). All three categories went to other artists, with Wilson taking home two of them.Following the ceremony, Ballerini shared a photo referencing the iconic “And none for Gretchen Wieners” scene from Mean Girls, prompting mixed reactions online. Her boyfriend, actor Chase Stokes, also posted on Instagram calling her his “Entertainer of the Year.”
While some social media users criticized the posts as unprofessional, others defended Ballerini, citing her consistent talent and multiple award show snubs.This isn’t the first time Ballerini has lost out to Wilson—she also faced disappointment at the 2024 Grammy Awards in the Best Country Album category. Despite more than a dozen ACM nominations since 2015, she has not won since her early career breakthrough.
Still, Ballerini emphasized that acknowledging loss and celebrating others can go hand in hand. “Two things can be true,” she said in a past statement, highlighting the complexity of awards show emotions.
