Kelsea Ballerini has declared 2026 will be the year of PDA, following her surprise reunion with Chase Stokes after their breakup. The country star shared her New Year’s wishes on Instagram, including romantic moments and personal growth, as the pair rekindle their relationship after a brief split.
Kelsea Ballerini has a lot to look forward to in 2026 — including plenty of PDA.
“2026 INS,” Ballerini, 32, began a lengthy list via Instagram on Sunday, January 4, that featured decluttering, “taking dogs everywhere,” doing Pilates, writing “handwritten thank you’s and yay you’s” notes, karaoke nights, red light therapy and “keeping some things for yourself.”
Among Ballerini’s wish list for the new year also includes “PDA 😘,” “the law of attraction [to] manifest good s***” and making sure to check in on “friends, lovers, fathers, mothers and yourself.”
The Mount Pleasant musician’s desire for PDA-packed outings in 2026 comes amidst her recent reunion with actor Chase Stokes. While the pair broke up last fall, they confirmed on New Year’s Eve that they were giving their romance another shot.
Kelsea Ballerini and Chase Stokes ‘Never Really Stopped’ Talking After Their Brief Split
“Messy year for the heart, messy year for the outside coming in, messy year for the way it became an out of our hands portrayal of it,” Ballerini wrote via her Instagram Stories on Wednesday, December 31. “What I’ll say, and all I really care to share indefinitely with my personal life anymore, is that I really love love.”
She continued, “I believe in it, I believe in him, and I believe in breaking patterns. Now go kiss your person and stop speculating.”
Ballerini uploaded a pic cuddling with Stokes, 33, who shared the same image on his social media account.
“Something I’ve learned this year: don’t take advantage of the most beautiful things that in 33 years of life are fleeting,” Stokes captioned a carousel of the PDA pics. “Take accountability, learn from mistakes. Lean into love and say it often. 2026 my year of growth, my year of truth. Starting here, starting now.”
Ballerini and Stokes started dating in January 2023, which was the country singer’s first relationship since finalizing her divorce from Morgan Evans the year prior.
Breaking Down Kelsea Ballerini and Chase Stokes’ Relationship Timeline: Split, Reunion and More
“I was ready to open back up [after my divorce]. I just felt, ‘Why not? I’ve never really dated. I don’t know how it works,’” Ballerini previously said on “Call Her Daddy” podcast in February 2023. “I’m like, ‘Let’s just put ourselves out there. Let’s just vibe.’ And it’s been fun. I slid into his DMs. I just swan dove right on in. His handle is ‘hichasestokes’ and I just said, ‘Hi Chase Stokes.’”
After two years of dating and countless red carpet appearances, Us Weekly confirmed in September 2025 that Stokes and Ballerini called it quits.
“It was a hard split,” a source told Us at the time. “They had been arguing a lot recently, and their communication wasn’t great in the last month. They were both traveling so much and trying to juggle everything, and the arguments piled up.”
Within weeks, Ballerini was spotted hanging out with the Outer Banks actor in Scotland and Croatia. Their reunion, however, was seemingly short-lived.
“Don’t believe the media,” Stokes cryptically wrote via his Instagram Stories in November 2025, insinuating he and Ballerini called it quits again. “I’m blocked, I did nothing wrong. Sorry ❤️. I tried. I’m sorry for those who believed in us. It is what it is. Onwards and upwards.”
Neither Ballerini nor Stokes have further revealed how they rekindled their connection the following month.
For fans, this unexpected reunion is more than just a romantic reset — it’s a narrative arc that mirrors Ballerini’s own journey from divorce to rediscovery. After a high-profile split with Morgan Evans, Ballerini entered 2023 with a new mindset: open, vulnerable, and ready to embrace love without fear. Her decision to “swan dive” into Chase Stokes’ DMs was both bold and symbolic — a rejection of the idea that love must be curated or planned. What followed was a whirlwind of public appearances, red carpet moments, and shared moments that made them one of 2023’s most talked-about couples.
But their story didn’t end there. After two years of dating, the pair called it quits in September 2025, citing the pressures of travel, conflicting schedules, and unresolved communication. The breakup was messy — and the media coverage was relentless. Stokes’ cryptic Instagram post in November 2025, which read “I’m blocked, I did nothing wrong,” left fans wondering if the relationship was truly over — or if it was simply on pause.
Fast forward to New Year’s Eve, and the narrative flipped on its head. Ballerini and Stokes were seen together again — not just in public, but in moments of quiet intimacy that felt like a full-circle moment. Their New Year’s Eve reunion wasn’t just a fluke — it was a declaration. Ballerini’s Instagram post, which included a list of her 2026 intentions, didn’t just mention PDA — it framed it as a spiritual act. “Manifest good s***,” she wrote, suggesting that her romantic intentions are part of a larger personal growth journey. For Stokes, the reunion was about accountability and truth — a theme he echoed in his own post: “2026 my year of growth, my year of truth.”
What makes this reunion so compelling is the context. Ballerini, at 32, is in a phase of her life where she’s not just chasing romance — she’s redefining what love means to her. Her public declaration of PDA isn’t just about physical affection — it’s about reclaiming joy, embracing vulnerability, and letting go of the need to control outcomes. Stokes, at 33, is similarly in a phase of self-reflection — a man who’s learned to take responsibility, to say “I tried,” and to move forward with honesty.
For fans, this is more than just a celebrity relationship update — it’s a mirror to their own lives. In a world that often demands perfection, Ballerini and Stokes are offering something different: messy, real, and beautifully imperfect. Their reunion isn’t just about the couple — it’s about the idea that love can be rebuilt, even after it’s broken. And in 2026, they’re not just planning to kiss — they’re planning to live fully, to grow, and to let love be the center of their universe again.
For those who follow Ballerini’s journey, this is the moment they’ve been waiting for — a return to the romance that made her a breakout star. For Stokes, it’s a chance to prove that even after a breakup, love can be rekindled — not as a rebound, but as a reinvention. And for fans, it’s a reminder that sometimes, the most beautiful things in life are the ones that come back — not because they were perfect the first time, but because they were worth fighting for again.
Want more in-depth analysis on Kelsea Ballerini, Chase Stokes, and the future of their relationship? Keep reading onlytrustedinfo.com — your ultimate source for the fastest, most authoritative entertainment news.
