Kelsea Ballerini in NYLON’s It Girl Issue.Photo:Ryan Pfluger/NYLON

Kelsea Ballerini on cover of Nylon

Ryan Pfluger/NYLON

Kelsea Balleriniput her heart first when it came to meeting herboyfriendof nearly one year,Chase Stokes.

On Tuesday, the country music star, 30, appeared on the cover ofNYLON’s It Girl Issueand opened up in an interview about what the start of her relationship with theOuter Banksstar, 31, was like and how she knew early on that she had found love.

Kelsea Ballerini in NYLON.Ryan Pfluger/NYLON

Kelsea Ballerini on cover of Nylon

“I was at a bar in Nashville with some friends from Charleston [whereOuter Banksfilms], and they were like, ‘What about Chase?’” the singer-songwriter told the outlet, explaining that she followed him and he followed her back. “I was just like, ‘Why am I waiting for this guy to reach out to me? This is 2022.’”

So she did, and she’s aware of how the cheeky DM might’ve looked when she shared a screenshot of it publicly in honor of his birthday in September. “Bro, I know … Listen, I was living my best life. I have no shame in that game,” the CMA award winner said.

The “If You Go Down (I’m Goin' Down Too)” singer explained to the outlet that, shortly after her fateful message sent, the two planned their first date for when they were both going to be in Los Angeles in the coming weeks — and then rearranged their plans to see each other sooner. She said, “I was playing a birthday party for a friend of mine, but I got there and was like, ‘It’s kind of crazy that we’re finally in the same town and I’m not seeing you today…He was like, ‘Drop your pin.’ He just showed up at this party and yeah, it was great.”

Kelsea Ballerini on cover of ‘NYLON’.Ryan Pfluger/NYLON

Kelsea Ballerini on cover of Nylon

TheRolling Up the Welcome Matartist added, “We are both very much so golden-retriever energy most of the time, but we both have a little bite in us and we’re both incredibly driven. He is the first person I’ve been in a relationship with that I feel like is not my complete opposite.”

The “Half of my Hometown” artistfirst shared the storyof how she and Stokes met on theCall Her Daddypodcast in February.

Chase Stokes and Kelsea Ballerini.John Shearer/Getty

Chase Stokes Kelsea Ballerini MTV New Jersey 09 12 23

John Shearer/Getty

“I’ve never seen his show, but I just knew of him, and I just swan dove right on in,” she told the podcast hosts at the time.

The Grammy nominee began her relationship with Stokes shortly after they connected online last December. She previously explained toCall Her Daddythat she went into the romance with a new perspective afterfiling for divorcefromMorgan Evanslast August after five years of marriage.

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Since then, both performers have shared ininterviewsand onsocial mediawhat a happy couple they are.

Last month, Stokes celebrated Ballerini’s birthday with aheartfelt tributeto her on Instagram. “Dirty 30 looks pretty damn good on you ballerini. i love you ❤️,” he captioned a carousel of photos and videos of the couple.

“You really made 29 😍🥹🫶🫠,” the country singer replied. “I love you stokes.”

source: people.com