Kelsea Ballerini Praises 'Inclusivity' as Drag Queens Say CMT Awards Performance Was 'Total Liberation'

Kelsea Ballerini is standing with the drag community in the wake of recent anti-LGBTQ+ legislation in Tennessee.

The country star sang "If You Go Down (I'm Goin' Down Too)" at the 2023 CMT Awards on Sunday alongside RuPaul's Drag Race alums Kennedy Davenport, Manila Luzon, Jan Sport and Oliva Lux, all of whom spoke to Entertainment Tonight afterward about the performance's impact.

"I love performance, and I love self-expression, and I love inclusivity," Ballerini, 29, told the outlet backstage at the Austin, Texas ceremony.

"Just like all these amazing country music artists, we drag queens are also artists," said Luzon, 41, at the awards show. "We deserve a space to be ourselves, express ourselves, and create something wonderful for everyone to enjoy."

Sport, 29, noted that "it means so much" to be included in Ballerini's performance. "Any opportunity for us to share our gifts with the world is a blessing. So, it's more of us having a message to bless other people."

"It's not bad. It's all good. It's all love," she added. "It's all total liberation — that's what the arts are all about."

Lux, 29, spoke about a discussion the queens had with Ballerini before the performance, explaining that the "Blindsided" singer "made it really clear" that she wanted the performers to "take up that space."

"'This is your time as well, and amplify the fact that you're here,'" she recalled the singer-songwriter telling them.

"Even the song, ['If You Go Down (I'm Goin' Down Too'] — it is about the celebration of being a community," continued Lux. "I think that's what we did on the stage tonight, and I really hope that transcended some people as well. It felt like it did."

The CMT Awards performance came about a month after Tennessee signed Senate Bill 3 and House Bill 9 into law, which ban drag performances from occurring on any public property or location where children could be in attendance.

Elsewhere in the ET interview, Davenport, 41, noted that drag performers "have a strong, real job of being leaders."

"With that leadership comes strength, so we have to be strong because people look up to us, and we appreciate that," she said. "I take the job on wholeheartedly because that's what we're here to do. We're here to uplift we're here to stay free. We're here to lead people to a brighter light in this business!"

Sport also said she has no plans to back down in the midst of anti-drag legislation: "If there's one thing: Do not mess with the LGBTQ+ community, OK? We're here, we're queer. Get used to it, baby!"

After the annual country music awards show, GLAAD released a statement praising Ballerini's performance. "As LGBTQ rights are being questioned in Texas, Tennessee, and several Southern states, Kelsea Ballerini took to one of country music's biggest stages to display bold allyship by proudly featuring talented and beloved drag artists," wrote Anthony Allen Ramos, the organization's VP of communications and talent, on Monday.

"Kelsea's performance at the CMT Music Awards reinforced that drag is not a threat, it's an art. New legislation that tries to silence drag performers in some Southern states is as unpopular as it is unnecessary," continued the statement.

"The CMT Music Awards also featured a performance from out singer Lily Rose, out red carpet host Cody Alan, and legendary ally Shania Twain called for country music to be 'all inclusive' in her remarks," added Ramos.

"Country music stars are using their platforms to stand with the LGBTQ community and the industry is growing into an explicitly welcoming place for LGBTQ fans and talent. Other country music stars, concerts, and events should take note of CMT's inclusion and follow suit," concluded the note.