Kelsea Ballerini Releases Emotionally Charged ‘First Rodeo’ Music Video

Country music artist Kelsea Ballerini has unveiled her latest music video for “First Rodeo,” featuring her boyfriend, Chase Stokes. The video was launched ahead of the upcoming release of her new album, Patterns, scheduled for October 25, 2024. The Nashville artist integrates personal themes in the video, reflecting on love and vulnerability after past heartbreaks.

The music video, filmed against the backdrop of a serene beach, begins with Ballerini dressed in a pale pink satin gown, singing about opening up to love once again. “The visuals are meant to show the emotion, duality, feelings, and landscape of this record,” Ballerini said in a statement to PEOPLE. Her intention is to convey both personal expression and universal themes where “it becomes a different meaning to everyone.”

Chase Stokes, known for his acting career, appears throughout the video alongside Ballerini. The couple, who publicly confirmed their relationship in January 2023, are seen sharing intimate moments, symbolizing newfound hope and connection. Their engagement in the video emphasizes the song’s message of approaching love with patience and understanding.

Discussing the song’s lyrics, Ballerini stated, “‘First Rodeo’ encapsulates that conversation, and more so, that decision within self to be vulnerable and open and allowing the hope of it all to seep back in.” The song reflects on Ballerini’s experiences post-divorce from her ex-husband, highlighting personal growth and the complexity of emotions tied to starting anew.

Visually, the video combines shots of carousel rides and sweet embraces with Stokes, symbolizing the ups and downs of relationships. Ballerini is also seen performing on a beach surrounded by luggage, further symbolizing transition and movement, both emotionally and geographically.

Concluding the narrative, the video shows Ballerini running on a boardwalk and eventually settling in a hotel room, sipping a drink while watching a rodeo, a nod to the song’s metaphorical and literal motifs of journeys and beginnings.