Morgan Evans Claps Back at Chase Stokes with Muscle-Flexing Post
Country singer Morgan Evans has delivered a witty response to actor Chase Stokes' recent criticism of his masculinity, turning an online feud into a clever promotional opportunity for his upcoming album.
The Instagram Exchange That Sparked the Feud
The drama began when Stokes, 33, made a scathing comment about Evans' masculinity following the Australian singer's interview on Bobby Bones' The BobbyCast podcast. In the since-deleted Instagram comment, Stokes wrote: "This is about the most pathetic excuse of masculinity ive ever seen. Get a f***ing life."
During the interview, Evans had discussed his unexpected 2022 divorce from fellow country star Kelsea Ballerini, stating he was "not expecting that conversation" when she told him she wanted to end their marriage.
Evans' Humorous Response
Rather than engaging in a bitter war of words, Evans, 40, opted for humor in his response. He posted a series of photos showing himself performing various manual labor tasks while conspicuously displaying his muscular physique.
In one particularly amusing image, Evans lifted a mini refrigerator over his head while staring determinedly into the distance, highlighting his ripped biceps. Another showed him chopping wood outdoors, while a third featured him pointing at the engine of a black Toyota pickup truck with its hood open.
"Feeling pretty masculine today," Evans captioned the post, clearly alluding to Stokes' criticism. "Album out in 2 weeks!"
Clever Album Promotion
What made Evans' response particularly savvy was how he seamlessly integrated promotion for his upcoming album "Steel Town" into the post. In nearly every photo, Evans placed a vinyl copy of the album in strategic locations.
The album cover appeared on top of his log pile, rested against an upturned log, and even leaned against the open hood of his truck's exposed engine. This clever marketing move transformed what could have been a petty feud into effective promotion for his March 20 album release.
Support from Bobby Bones
Bobby Bones, whose interview with Evans had originally prompted Stokes' criticism, showed his support for the singer by commenting "I laughed" on Evans' Instagram post. Bones later defended Evans in an Instagram video, questioning why Stokes would challenge someone's masculinity.
"By the way Morgan Evans is like 6'2 and freaking strapped," Bones added, coming to the singer's defense.
The Complicated Relationship History
The feud highlights the complicated romantic history between these three celebrities. Evans was married to Ballerini from 2017 until their divorce in 2022. Following the split, Ballerini began dating Stokes, though their relationship has been on-again, off-again for three years.
Most recently, the couple split for a third time in February 2025, just one month after reconciling. Sources indicate that while Stokes "still wasn't ready to give up," Ballerini was "done" with the relationship.
Meanwhile, Evans has moved on and is currently dating singer Laci Kaye Booth, 30.
Musical Responses to the Divorce
Both Evans and Ballerini have addressed their divorce through their music. Evans' 2022 song "Over for You" suggested he was blindsided by the divorce request, with lyrics asking: "How long has it been over for you?"
Ballerini responded with her own track "Blindsided (Yeah, Sure, Okay)," which included pointed lyrics: "I told you what I needed, didn't have to read my mind / So, were you blindsided or were you just blind?"
The couple began dating in 2016 and married in 2017 during a ceremony in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, before announcing their divorce in August 2022 after nearly five years of marriage.
Neither Evans, Stokes, nor Ballerini have responded to requests for comment from media outlets about the recent online exchange.
