Are Morgan Evans and Laci Kaye Booth officially dating? What we know as couple makes red carpet debut at the 2025 CMA Awards

Morgan Evans and Laci Kaye Booth, who are officially dating, hit a big moment in their relationship as they stepped out together on the red carpet during the 2025 CMA Awards on November 19 in Nashville. It was their first official public appearance as a couple since they revealed their relationship earlier this year.

They're red carpet official! Morgan Evans and Laci Kaye Booth smooch for cameras ahead of the CMA Awards. pic.twitter.com/J1pkKV6Jra

— Taste of Country (@TasteOfCountry) November 20, 2025

Walking into Bridgestone Arena hand in hand, they paused to take photos and shared a kiss. Booth wore a burgundy lace dress with a thigh-high slit paired with matching gloves. Evans went with a white silk shirt, black pants and a leather jacket.

Their red carpet debut follows months of speculation about their relationship. Interest around the pair increased in April when Booth introduced Evans as her partner during their performance of “Daddy’s Mugshot” at Live in the Vineyard Goes Country in Napa Valley. The song, which the two co-wrote, received a warm reception during the event. During the performance, Booth told the audience,

“This is my boyfriend, by the way. My hot guitar player, and I’m in love with him.”

Morgan Evans and Laci Kaye Booth’s relationship history and career highlights

Laci Kaye Booth gained recognition during her stint on American Idol in 2019 and has since been growing her music career. In May 2024, she released her first full album, The Loneliest Girl in the World, along with two EPs. Evans, best known for his chart-topping hit “Kiss Somebody,” dropped his new song “Beer Back Home” on October 10 and has plans to put out his second studio album in 2026.

Evans' appearance with Booth marks one of his first major public events alongside a partner since his 2022 divorce from Kelsea Ballerini. After their breakup, Ballerini’s first public romance was with actor Chase Stokes, whom she started dating in 2023. The couple announced a breakup in September, but they seem to be reconnecting. Kelsea said she and Morgan lost contact. 

“I was like, ‘I’ve loved what this has brought in my life and I respect you and I respect me and because of that, I can no longer be in this marriage,'” Kelsea sasd during a 2023 appearance on the Call Her Daddy podcast. “‘I really wanna, like, honor the good that we’ve experienced by doing this the right way.’ And it was beautiful. We cried. We hugged, it was sweet.”

The 59th Annual CMA Awards went live on ABC from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. ET. Streaming is available on Hulu.