Kelsea Ballerini “had to bring a little yeehaw to the show,” she said as she took the stage during iHeartRadio’s Can’t Cancel Pride on Thursday evening (June 15), performing one of the most iconic anthems from her latest album from Nashville, Tennessee. The country-pop superstar dedicated her performance to her friends in the LGBTQ+ community in honor of the event that recognizes the community and celebrates organizations that seek to create a more inclusive and equal world.
Ballerini performed “If You Go Down (I’m Goin’ Down Too),” a best friends anthem that quickly became a fan-favorite track when she released her latest full-length project, Subject To Change, in September 2022 (followed by her powerful 6-track EP, Rolling Up The Welcome Mat, earlier this year). Other highlights on the 15-track project include “The Little Things,” “Love Is A Cowboy,” “HEARTFIRST,” “You’re Drunk, Go Home” (featuring Carly Pearce and Kelly Clarkson) and more. Ballerini said the song is one that she feels “deeply about my friends in the LGBTQ+ community. …I love you, and this is for you.”
“If You Go Down (I’m Goin’ Down Too)” is a high-energy anthem that strongly resonates with crowds during Ballerini’s live performances. She previously reflected on the “scream-sing” moments she cherishes with her fans, including “the progressively more unhinged ‘HYPOTHETICALLY IF YOU EVER KILL YOUR HUSBAND’” line in “If You Go Down (I’m Goin’ Down Too).”
Ballerini premiered a vibrant music video for “If You Go Down (I’m Goin’ Down Too) earlier this year, setting the scene with a “group of gossipy girlfriends in a classic ‘60s/’70s cul-de-sac community.” The Patrick Tracy-directed video is reminiscent of Lucille Ball, The Chicks’ iconic 90s anthem, “Goodbye Earl,” and other inspirations, blending colorful comedy with dark crime. Ballerini said in a statement at that time that she new the video needed “a real look and feel to it. 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.”
Shortly after the music video’s premiere, Ballerini co-hosted the 2023 CMT Music Awards and took the stage with the same high-energy anthem, surrounded by queens of RuPaul's Drag Race (Kennedy Davenport, Olivia Lux, Jan Sport and Manila Luzon). CMT also pointed social media followers to The Trevor Project, an organization that aims to offer support to LGBTQ+ youths.
Ballerini was one of many celebs to appear during this year’s Can’t Cancel Pride event, hosted by JoJo Siwa for the second time. Others include Brandi Carlile — who was honored with the Elton John Impact Award — Adam Lambert, Big Freedia, Ciara, Billy Porter, Fletcher — who teamed up with Ballerini on a new spin on her song “Better Version” earlier this year — Hayley Kiyoko, Kesha and more.
Can’t Cancel Pride, a one-hour benefit special, aims to raise awareness and funds for GLAAD, SAGE, The Trevor Project, the National Black Justice Coalition, CenterLink and OutRight Action International. The annual event began during the COVID-19 pandemic, when many Pride events had to be canceled. Over the last four years since it started, Can't Cancel Pride has raised over $11 million for participating LGBTQ+ charitable organizations. Fans can follow along on social media using the hashtag #CantCancelPride, and support the participating nonprofits by visiting cantcancelpride.com or texting "RAINBOW" to 513-654-2622. The event will then be available on-demand throughout Pride Month, until Friday, June 30.