Kelsea Ballerini celebrated her 30th birthday Tuesday, Sept. 12, with a debut performance at the 2023 MTV Video Music Awards, delivering a stripped down rendition of ‘Penthouse‘ off Rolling Up the Welcome Mat (For Good).

Performing from the show’s outdoor stage, the country star serenaded the audience with a moving performance backed by a pianist and full string section. Standing in a flowing white gown, Ballerini effortlessly ran through the emotional song while the audience sang every word back to her. Ahead of the bridge, the singer paused long enough for the pre-recorded performance to switch over to footage recorded after she switched into a black mini dress.

Ballerini released Rolling Up the Welcome Mat (For Good) in August, adding two songs to the scathing divorce EP originally released back in February (on Valentine’s Day, no less). The songs on the original EP found Ballerini writing about her tumultuous split from country star Morgan Evans, while the expanded version sought to finally put all the chaos behind her — even as it still contained some pretty explosive and cutthroat lyrics.

Upon releasing the expanded EP, Ballerini asked her fans for a “favor,” writing, “From the deepest and purest part of my heart, I ask that you help this be ours and let the music simply be the music, not dig back into the experience that it was written about nearly a year ago. As a songwriter, producer, artist I’m proud and protective of this EP, and as a woman and human also proud and protective of the new, happy season of life I’m in.”

Though Rolling Up the Welcome Mat (For Good) is ostensibly Ballerini’s final say on the matter, it remains to be seen if Evans will offer up one final response. He arguably kicked off the musical back-and-forth, as well, with his viral debut performance of “Over for You,” back in September 2022, a few weeks before the divorce was finalized (and pointedly just one day before Ballerini released her album, Subject to Change). The original Rolling Up the Welcome Mat — as well as an accompanying short film Ballerini wrote and co-directed — followed, while Evans included a few breakup songs on his April 2023 EP, Life Upside Down. 

As for the 2023 VMAs, the evening also featured performances from Anitta, Olivia Rodrigo, Demi Lovato, Doja Cat, Karol G, Måneskin, Stray Kids, and Tomorrow x Together. Shakira was also honored with the Video Vanguard Award, and Diddy accepted the Global Icon title.