After confirming their breakup in 2025, Chase Stokes and Kelsea Ballerini have officially announced that they are back together, nearly 5 months later. Both announced this on Instagram, saying they are "leaning into love" and embarking on a year of growth in 2026.
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On January 1, 2026, Stokes shared, "Something I've learned this year: don't take advantage of the most beautiful things that in 33 years of life are fleeting." The Outer Banks actor continued, "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. Happy new years ??"
The caption was accompanied by a series of photos of Chase and Kelsea back together, spending the holidays under a wilderness sunrise.
Kelsea reposted one of the photos on her story, adding her own message to the situation. "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," she shared. "But what I'll say," she continued, "and all I really care to share indefinitely with my personal life anymore, is that I really love love. I believe in it, I believe in him, and I believe in breaking patterns."
"Now go kiss your person and stop speculating," she added at the end. As of now, the pair has also re-followed each other on Instagram.
Chase Stokes Addresses Madelyn Cline Rumors
Following their September breakup, Ballerini and Stokes were spotted together at a restaurant in Croatia in November. On November 20, Stokes told fans on his Instagram that Ballerini had blocked him, and that he'd "done nothing wrong."
"Don't believe the media. I'm blocked, I did nothing wrong," he shared. "Sorry ?? I tried." He even apologized to some fans, saying, "I'm sorry for those who believed in us."
Also in November, Ballerini released her Mount Pleasant EP, which included a song called "Emerald City", which many fans speculated is about Madelyn Cline. Cline and Stokes dated from 2020 to 2021, while filming Netflix's Outer Banks. The tune sings about a girl who has brown eyes, who "used to be yours", or used to be Chase's. On one of the promotional TikToks for Kelsea's new EP, the actor responded back to fans. "These comments are f--king weird. Grow up", the actor added in the comments.
The final season of Outer Banks has just finished wrapping, according to the Charleston Scene.
Photo By: Kevin Winter / Getty Images
