Kelsea Ballerini stands behind her CMT performance with her drag queens
2 min read
Christopher Polk/Variety via Getty Images
It seems like Kelsea Ballerini has no regrets about delivering a groundbreaking performance with her drag queens on national television. Moreover, news suggested that the showrunners were not surprised by her performance.
Here is everything you need to know.
Kelsea Ballerini supports her performance at the 57th CMT Awards
Sources with direct knowledge revealed to TMZ that Kelsea Ballerini has found herself in hot waters after her performance on Sunday’s CMT Music Awards.
If you didn’t know, she urged four ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race queens to stand beside her on the stage during the performance.
Moreover, the criticisms she is continuing to receive appear to be falling on deaf ears. Ballerini reportedly does not regret her performance one bit.
In addition, insiders claim that Ballerini completely supports her decision to include drag queens in her performance.
if you go down, i’m going down too 🏳️🌈 // thank you to these iconic queens and @manilaluzon
@kennedyddoftx @janjanjan @TheOliviaLux and @CMT for celebrating love, self expression, and performance.Advertisement
📸 John Shearer @GettyImages pic.twitter.com/jZ3JTVI3ny— Kelsea Ballerini (@KelseaBallerini) April 3, 2023
Meanwhile, many conservative people have supposedly gone ballistic over the appearance of drag queens. They have further begun to call out Ballerini and CMT for going woke.
For the unversed, the appearance of the drag queens was planned.
Production sources reported to the media outlet that both CMT and CBS were aware of the otherwise surprise cameo of the drag queens.
Additionally, the insiders said that they had also been helping Ballerini in her performances and rehearsals since Friday.
Meanwhile, one of the drag queens, Manila Luzon, claimed that Ballerini came up with the idea to feature them in the performance.
Besides that, Ballerini’s act of rebellion comes after Tennessee passed an anti-drag law (Tennessee Senate Bill 3). Additionally, it made Tennessee the first state to ‘explicitly ban drag shows in public spaces’ after Bill Lee signed the provision.
TikTok users react to Kelsea Ballerini’s CMT performance
Despite the criticisms from other netizens, TikTok users have taken to the platform to rally behind Kelsea Ballerini for her CMT performance.
Moreover, they praised her for using the stage to defy anti-LGBTQ rhetoric with many users pointing out that she is brave to make such a bold statement on national television.
A user wrote, ‘Tennessee said they were banning drag and kelsea said not on my watch.’
Someone else chimed in to say, ‘i don’t like country music but i am now a kelsea ballerini fan.’
Another user added, ‘I have no words!!!!! While singing this song and bringing them out with her. Truly a class act!’
A different user went on to comment, ‘This was the most iconic part of the entire night.’
