Kenny Chesney Kicks Off Vegas Residency With a Surprise Guest

Kenny Chesney has become the first country music star to headline a residency at The Sphere Las Vegas, and he kicked off the inaugural show with a bang. In a TikTok video Country Minute shared, the “Summertime” singer treated his opening night audience to a special surprise, bringing fellow star Kelsea Ballerini onto the stage.

The pair sang three songs for the excited audience, including “She Thinks My Tractor’s Sexy.” Fans flocked to the video’s comments section to show their support for the duo, such as one who wrote: “Will not get over this! Best night ever!” Many who couldn’t attend the performance lightheartedly expressed jealousy at not having a chance to see the singers together on a major Las Vegas Stage.

The Singers Previously Toured Together and Have a Friendly Relationship

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Of course, Chesney and Ballerini are no strangers to performing together, and the two are reportedly friends off stage as well. The two took the stage during Chesney’s 2023 “I Wanna Go Back” tour, with Ballerini serving as his opening act. The singer celebrated his 55th birthday during the tour, and Ballerini was in attendance for a fun Instagram photo of him celebrating on a post-show plane ride.

As People reported, Ballerini made a sweet gesture during the State College, Pennsylvania show earlier that night, asking the audience to join her in serenading Chesney for his birthday. “I’d be a bad friend if I didn’t ask all of you at this sold-out show on a Saturday night at Penn State to sing happy birthday,” she said to the crowd.

Chesney Played Songs From Across His Three-Decade Catalog For His Residency’s Opening Night

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Chesney performing with Ballerini was definitely a highlight for many fans, but those songs were just a small part of the show. As Billboard shared, the setlist for opening night at The Sphere included hits from across all three decades of the Country Music Hall of Fame inductee’s country career. He played 27 songs overall, including “No Shirt, No Shoes, No Problem” and “Summertime,” as well as some of his newer hits, like 2024’s “One Lonely Island.”

In a statement Billboard shared, Chesney said that the wonderous reality of performing in this unique venue didn’t really hit home until he was there in person. “Even with all the simulators, the special editing facilities, the way we have approached rehearsals, it wasn’t until we got inside Sphere that me, the band, the crew and all our road family truly got it.” The residency is currently scheduled for over a dozen shows and runs until June 21st.