Kelsea Ballerini has responded to critics who allege she lip-synced during her performance on the recent People's Choice Country Awards in Nashville. The singer performed a rendition of "Mountain With a View" from her Rolling Up The Welcome Mat EP, and some fans pointed out that the song didn't seem to match Ballerini's mouth during the initial broadcast. She took to her Instagram stories after the event to quickly and humorously dismiss this idea.
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"I just want to say if I was lip-syncing, I would have sounded a lot better," Ballerini said, while in a crowded location. She then confirms that the glitch was due to a camera delay.
"One of the cameras was off. Thank you and goodnight," she adds.
@thatbabblingbrook The queen has spoken ladies and gentlemen! #kelseaballerini #kelseaballerinipeopleschoice #peopleschoicecountryawards2023
Ballerini also referenced the controversy in a photo she posted to her Instagram profile, in which she gave "bombastic side eye." In another post from the event, she again stressed that she sang live by adding a few exclamation marks to her caption.
"Sang (!!!) a song i wrote by myself on an awards show last night and my little songwriter heart is feeling proud of that today," she wrote.
Ballerini's final post from the show featured close up photos of her outfit details, as well as snaps with Wynonna Judd and Little Big Town's Karen Fairchild. The awards show also posted the performance on its socials, lauding the rendition as a "glitch-free performance."
Ballerini entered the awards show with four nominations for The People's Artist, Female Artist, Album for Rolling Up The Welcome Mat and Social Country Star. Rolling Up the Welcome Mat was released on Feb. 14, 2013, and its six songs detail Ballerini's split from ex-husband Morgan Evans. The two divorced in August 2022.
The awards show also featured performances from Judd, Toby Keith, Carly Pearce, Dan + Shay and more. It was hosted by Little Big Town.
