Entertainment Awards Shows and Events Kelsea Ballerini and Chase Stokes Light Up the CMA Awards Red Carpet with Their Looks — and Love! The country star is nominated in two categories and will take the stage as one of the night's performers By Genevieve Cepeda Genevieve Cepeda Genevieve Cepeda is a staff shopping writer for PEOPLE. She was formerly a PEOPLE beauty and style intern and wrote about style, entertainment, and arts for four years at Northwestern University. People Editorial Guidelines and Brittany Talarico Brittany Talarico Brittany Talarico is PEOPLE's Deputy Style Director, where she oversees the brand's digital Style and Beauty coverage. This includes running lead on the Met Gala, which is among PEOPLE.com's top-trafficked red carpet events every year, interviewing the industry's top influencers (including all the Kardashian-Jenners), and breaking A-list celeb news (a New Jersey shore native, it is no surprise that her favorite interview ever was with Bruce Springsteen). Brittany is a style contributor to People Every Day Podcast and has represented the brand on national TV programs including Good Morning America and The CW's two TV specials on the British Royals. She joined PEOPLE from Cosmopolitan in 2013, where she was an Associate Editor. People Editorial Guidelines Updated on November 8, 2023 08:21PM EST Photo: Christopher Polk/Variety via Getty Kelsea Ballerini is celebrating country music’s biggest night in head-turning style — with her man at her side. The country superstar arrived at the 2023 CMA Awards Wednesday night in a romantic ballerina-pink silk satin draped gown from Christian Siriano's spring/summer 2024 collection. The design featured a thigh-high split and ruching at the waist. She topped off the look with statement earrings and a bold red lip for an added pop of color. Ballerini, 30, walked the carpet with boyfriend Chase Stokes, who was a proud plus one in his dapper suit. Christopher Polk/Variety via Getty The "Half of My Hometown" singer is a two-time CMA Awards winner. This year, she is nominated for female vocalist of the year and album of the year. She will also take the stage as one of the night’s performers, along with stars including Luke Combs and Morgan Wallen. Check out PEOPLE's full CMA Awards coverage to get the latest news on country music’s biggest night. Jason Kempin/Getty Lainey Wilson Leads 2023 CMA Award Nominations for the Second Year in a Row — See the List! Ballerini has been a fan-favorite in country music since the 2014 release of her debut single “Love Me Like You Mean It." Her success in the genre was most recently marked by a special milestone — headlining a sold-out show in her hometown of Knoxville, Tennessee. Stokes, 31, gushed about the show in a conversation with PEOPLE earlier this month. “For her to go back to her hometown and to sell out an arena like that stage — it was the coolest thing,” Stokes said. “I cried the whole time.” Chase Stokes and Kelsea Ballerini attend the 2023 MTV Video Music Awards in Newark, New Jersey. Jamie McCarthy/WireImage Ballerini and Stokes are to thank for a number of cute red carpet moments, from debuting their relationship at the 2023 CMT Awards to their matching 2023 MTV VMAs look (which Stokes insisted was coincidental). Ballerini told PEOPLE that she recently started writing new music, and it’s all about the happiness she is enjoying in her life. Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Kelsea Ballerini attends the 2023 Time100 Next event on Oct. 24, 2023, in New York City. Gotham/WireImage Luke Bryan and Peyton Manning Would Rather Host the 2023 CMA Awards than Ride into the Sunset (Exclusive) “I'm having wins right now that I've never had in my life,” she said. “And I'm trying to not downplay those and I'm trying to be present and know that I'm deserving of that and all those things.” However, Ballerini insisted she doesn’t “have it going on” all the time. “I am so human and I'm so good with it," she said. The 2023 CMA Awards, hosted by Luke Bryan and Peyton Manning, will air live from Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena on Nov. 8 at 8 p.m. ET on ABC and stream exclusively on Hulu the following day. Close