There’s no room for transphobia in country music, according to Kelsea Ballerini. During Sunday’s CMT Awards, the show’s host took the stage to sing her hit “If You Go Down (I’m Goin’ Down Too),” joined by a crew of drag queens from RuPaul’s Drag Race. The performance comes in light of a recent uptick in anti-trans legislation across the US.
Along with Ballerini, queens Jan Sport, Olivia Lux, Manila Luzon, and Kennedy Davenport sported sky-high hair and retro dresses, as they all proclaimed the song’s playfully hell-raising chorus: “If it all blows up and we end up on the news/ If you go down, I’m goin’ down too!” As the song neared its end, Ballerini took off her guitar and strutted down the catwalk with all the queens by her side, confetti billowing into the air.
Notably, the 2023 CMT Awards went down in Austin, Texas, where state senators have proposed a bill that would define drag shows as “sexually oriented” Class A misdemeanors and ban them on public property. LGBTQ+ advocates worry that the bill’s vague definition of “drag” is a deliberate attempt to target transgender people, as well.
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The drag queens spoke about the bill while walking the red carpet at the award show: “Continue to be your authentic self,” Kennedy Davenport told the Austin-American Statesman when asked if she had any advice for fellow Texan drag wueens. “We’re still motivating young people, we’re still inspiring them, we’re still lifting them up because at the end of the day, we have a calling and we have a job as drag queens.”
The Drag Race Season 7 alum went on: “That’s what we’re here to do and people don’t understand that. We have a lot of people coming to us, you know, telling us how much we’ve saved their lives and kept them from depression. Keep your focus, stay strong, and just be careful what you do.”
Olivia Lux chimed in: “Banding together and continuing to be a community — that’s what it’s all about. That’s the lovely thing about (the LGBTQ+ community), we’re so accepting. We feel so supported here. Continuing to be together and press that envelope and continue to create that change.”
Earlier in the evening, Ballerini — a Nashville resident — also spoke about the March 27th elementary school shooting in the city that left six students and teachers dead. “I pray — deeply — that closeness and community we feel for the next few hours of music can soon turn into action, like real action, that moves us forward together to create change for the safety of our kids and our loved ones.”
Anthony Allen Ramos, Vice President of Communications & Talent at GLAAD, shared a statement in support of Ballerini’s performance: “Kelsea’s performance at the CMT Music Awards reinforced that drag is not a threat, it’s an art… Other country music stars, concerts, and events should take note of CMT’s inclusion and follow suit.”
Watch clips of Ballerini’s performance and speech below.
Ballerini is currently on tour supporting Kenny Chesney. Remaining tickets are available at StubHub, where orders are 100% guaranteed through StubHub’s FanProtect program. StubHub is a secondary market ticketing platform, and prices may be higher or lower than face value, depending on demand.
What can’t our host do? @KelseaBallerini absolutely SLAYED her #CMTAwards performance! 🌈✨ pic.twitter.com/t7f8vZEf6K
Advertisement— CMT (@CMT) April 3, 2023
Listen to this exquisite statement at #CMTMusicAwards tonight by @KelseaBallerini, a fellow Nashvillian 🎸who used her platform beautifully 😭
— Dr. Joy Henningsen (@JoyHenningsenMD) April 3, 2023
