Releasing the list of nominees for the 2025 CMA Awards, stars like Lainey Wilson, Morgan Wallen, and Luke Combs found themselves at the top of the list. Even Post Malone received a nomination for Album of the Year thanks to his debut country album, F-1 Trillion. But when it came to the top prize, Entertainer of the Year, the nominees included Combs, Cody Johnson, Chris Stapleton, Wallen, and Wilson. Although a strong list of singers, fans quickly lashed out at the CMA Awards for forgetting about the rising star, Kelsea Ballerini.
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Releasing Patterns just last year, Ballerini watched the album reach No. 4 on the US Billboard 200. She took the top spot on both the US Top Country Albums and US Independent Albums charts. And that didn’t include the praise she received from fans. But when it came to the CMA Awards, she was left off the list of Entertainer of the Year. She did receive a nomination for Female Vocalist of the Year.
Although finding herself in a category alongside Miranda Lambert, Ella Langley, Megan Moroney, and Wilson, fans considered her “snubbed” when it came to Entertainer of the Year. For one fan, she offered her take on the snub by sharing a lengthy response on TikTok.
Fan Offers Long List Of Accomplishments From Kelsea Ballerini
In the video, she explained, “These are my opinions about the CMA Award nominations that came out today. As a fan girl, starting off with Entertainer of the Year, this one enrages me. Where’s Kelsea Ballerini? However, you have people on this list that aren’t putting out new music, who aren’t touring, yet they’re on the list.”
Shining a light on the success that followed Ballerini, the fan continued, “Then you’ve got someone like Kelsea who put out an amazing album, who is probably one of three female artists that is selling out arenas, who continues to raise the bar day after day after day. She’s acting, she’s on the voice. She’s doing everything that would put you in that position for Entertainer of the Year.”
Not the only person outraged by the snub, others commented, “KB sold out MSG, nearly sold out a 4 month long arena tour, put out a whole a** album, four music videos, AND a deluxe version. Her hometown station (WIVK) got more noms than she did this year. WTF.’”
While Ballerini stayed silent on the matter, she still had a chance at Female Vocalist of the Year. Don’t miss the 2025 CMA Awards, airing live on November 19th, at 8:00 p.m. ET/PT on ABC.
(Photo by Jason Davis/WireImage)
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