Kelsea Ballerini Files Restraining Order Against Alleged Hacker

Kelsea Ballerini has filed a restraining order against an alleged hacker who she claims “leaked” unreleased new music.

The temporary restraining order has been filed against Bo Ewing, an alleged hacker and “former member of Ms. Ballerini’s fan club,” according to court documents obtained by People. Ewing has allegedly illegally obtained and shared “still-in-production, unreleased masters and demos” despite being a former fan.

In a statement to People, a representative for Ballerini said that protecting an artist’s music is of “utmost importance” and added that Ballerini spends “countless hours perfecting” her craft and telling stories through her songs.

The representative concluded in no uncertain terms, “Stealing and sharing unfinished music is illegal and harms the integrity of the creative process.”

The court documents list Ballerini, Black River Entertainment, and producer Alyse Vanderheym as plaintiffs. The documents state that Ewing accessed the recordings “through gaining back-door access to the device of either, or both, of Ms Ballerini or Ms Vanderheym” and then allegedly shared the files with third parties.

Ballerini and her fellow plaintiffs have secured a court injunction to ensure the leaks don’t go further and avoid suffering from “continued, irreparable harm”.

Ballerini hosted and performed at the recent CMT Awards and was nominated for three awards. She also returned to host the CMA Awards in November.

In non-award (or alleged hacker) news, Kelsea Ballerini released the deluxe version of her Rolling Up The Welcome Mat EP back in August.

With the announcement, Ballerini asked for a favour. “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,” she wrote. “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.

“My real hope is for us to continue growing, healing, and evolving together with acceptance and kindness (even when we unleash our inner fire-breathing dragon singing the new versions of these songs). Am I right?”

Rolling Up The Welcome Mat was Ballerini’s first release since her divorce from fellow country music artist, Australia’s Morgan Evans.