Photo: The BobbyCast
Morgan Evans opened up about the aftermath of his divorce from Kelsea Ballerini during a conversation with Bobby Bones.
Evans, 40, reflected on the heartbreak as he looked back at the last few years of his life, which he represents on his upcoming studio album. The Australian singer-songwriter tied the knot with Ballerini in December 2017. Ballerini announced in August 2022 that she and Evans were going through a divorce, which was finalized just a few months later (Evans said it “was pretty surreal,” how quickly everything happened). The “Over For You” artist said in a statement around that time, “I am very sad to confirm that after almost 5 years of marriage, Kelsea and I are parting ways. I wish it were otherwise but sadly it is not.”
Evans joined Bobby Bones on a new episode of The BobbyCast on Tuesday morning (March 3). He said he had no frame of reference for navigating a divorce, pointing out that his parents, grandparents and other relatives remain in long-lasting marriages.
“In my case, it didn’t feel like it necessarily had a lot to do with me,” Evans said about dealing with backlash after divorce. “I think maybe I was presented, or made out to be, or became an archetype for any guy that had done any woman wrong during that period of time. Like, some of the stuff was just like… ‘what? What are you even talking about?’ And like you say, it doesn’t not hurt…especially if it was real vicious or something. And then I’d click on whoever said it and just have look and just be like, ‘oh, yeah, it’s OK. That looks like somebody going through a tough time.’
“I was not expecting that conversation, no,” he said later, when asked about the moment Ballerini said she wanted a divorce. “And maybe that was me being naive. I don’t know. But I definitely wasn’t [expecting it], and it took me by surprise. But yeah, that whole time is such a blur. It almost feels like somebody else, just from where I’m sitting now. I just look back and I’m like, ‘oh my God.’ …Yeah, it was just kind of a whirlwind, life-changing moment.”
Years later, Evans is in a new relationship with singer-songwriter Laci Kaye Booth. He and Booth, 30, made their red carpet debut at the 59th CMA Awards in November 2025. Evans confirmed that he and Booth have been dating for about two years; however, he declined to share too many details while catching up with Bobby Bones.
“Laci’s a legend. She’s a proper legend, and she’s actually really private, too,” he said. “She doesn’t do any press or interviews or anything like that. …And so, we’ve been really intentional about sharing what we want to share and also keeping what we want to keep to ourselves, too. …I really care about her, and I’m really grateful for where we’re at right now, too.”
Evans said in a post on Substack, which he shared on his Instagram story on Monday (March 2), that opening up about his divorce is “not why I did the interview,” but he addressed the “elephant in the room” during the ranging conversation. He also spoke with Bobby Bones about an ayahuasca experience in Costa Rica, the three-year span that inspired the music on his upcoming studio record, his next chapter, reconnecting with family and friends while spending time in Australia, personal growth and more. Evans’ album, Steel Town, will arrive on March 20.
Bobby Bones asked the country star, “are you happy?”
“Life’s good. …It’s just been a roller coaster of a ride, or a haunted house maybe, sometimes,” Evans replied. “But yeah, it’s good. It’s good to be alive right now. it’s good to have an Australian summer, and it’s good to be back here with a record I feel really proud about and a story to tell.”
Find the full episode of The BobbyCast on iHeartRadio and on Netflix.