Kelsea Ballerini’s vibrant performance at the 2023 CMT Music Awards was marked by bright set pieces, colorful wardrobe pieces and teaming up with the queens of RuPaul's Drag Race.
Ballerini took the stage with “If You Go Down (I’m Goin’ Down Too),} one of the biggest fan-favorites from her latest full-length album, Subject to Change, which released in September 2022. The 15-track project also included “The Little Things,” “Love Is A Cowboy,” “HEARTFIRST,” “You’re Drunk, Go Home” (featuring Carly Pearce and Kelly Clarkson) and other highlights. Ballerini quickly followed it up with her 7-track EP, Rolling Up The Welcome Mat, earlier this year.
The 2023 CMT Music Awards co-host premiered the “If You Go Down (I’m Goin’ Down Too)” music video on her social media channels on Thursday night (March 30), followed by the broadcast premieres on CMT and MTV the following morning. Ballerini teamed up with director Patrick Tracy to bring the video to life, focusing on a “group of gossipy girlfriends in a classic ‘60s/’70s cul-de-sac community,” and ending with a comedy-crime video reminiscent of The Chicks’ iconic 90s anthem, “Goodbye Earl,” and other inspirations. Ballerini’s looks during her CMT Awards performance on Sunday evening (April 2) — with Kennedy Davenport, Olivia Lux, Jan Sport and Manila Luzon — mirrored that.
“I wanted something that had a real look and feel to it,” Ballerini said in a statement. “But it needed to be fun... and funny. I wanted something that made people laugh and clink their glasses, because when I wrote this, I wanted ‘If You Go Down’ to be a song that was a reason to turn up the dial.
“Obviously, it’s not true, but it’s fun to sing a line like ‘Hypothetically, if you ever kill your husband, Hand on the Bible, I’d be lying through my teeth...’,” she added, laughing “Nobody would ever do that, but it’s the kind of joke you can take in a song that’s funny.”