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Kelsea Ballerini took to Instagram to share some bad news and some good news ahead of the 2022 CMT Music Awards on Monday (April 11). The “half of my hometown” singer, who was set to host the show, revealed that she tested positive for COVID-19 and can no longer attend the show in person. She admitted that she was “devastated” and “gutted’ by the news.
That said, Ballerini is feeling “a lot better,” and will be able to host and perform from home. She said in a video to her fans:
“Alright, friends. I have some bad news and I have some good news. The bad news is that a couple days ago I tested positive for covid, and the CMT Awards are tonight. So, unfortunately, I cannot be there in person anymore and I am devastated. I’m gutted. But the good news is that I am feeling a lot better — a lot better — and the incredible CMT family and my team have brought part of the CMT set to my house, to my little bubble, and set it up to where I can still host and perform. It is certainly not what we had expected or planned for, but we are doing our damn best. And so, I will still see you tonight on the awards, and let’s make some lemonade together out of these very bitter lemons. Yeah. Guys, I’m so sorry. But have so much fun for me if you’re going to the show, and if you’re watching on TV, I will see you there.”
Ballerini added in a comment on her own post: “IF YOU THINK IM NOT USING MY DRIVEWAY AS A RUNWAY FOR ALL MY LEWKS YOUD BE WRONG THOUGH 💪🏼”
The bittersweet announcement comes at the heels of Ballerini’s latest song release. “HEARTFIRST” debuted on Friday (April 8), and fans were immediately “obsessed” with the upbeat single that’s “all about just following your heart (and) trusting your gut. I really believe that nothing great happens in life unless you take the risk and you take a leap of faith, and that’s what this whole song is about,” Ballerini explained, adding that the song “sets the tone” for her latest project because it’s “very warm, very breezy-feeling, very settled.”
Ballerini was set to return to host the 2022 CMT Music Awards with Captain America star Anthony Mackie. The show is set to air from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. on the CBS Television Network and stream on Paramount+, hosted live from the Nashville Municipal Auditorium and other locations around the city.