Watch Anthony Mackie Crash Kelsea Ballerini’s ‘Extra’ Interview at the 2022 Grammys

Country singer Kelsea Ballerini has a lot going on: She has new music coming out, and she’s gearing up to host the CMT Awards with Anthony Mackie.

“Extra’s” Rachel Lindsay spoke with Kelsea on the Grammys red carpet, where she was eventually joined by Anthony.

Once Kelsea spotted Anthony right next to her, she gave him a warm embrace! Anthony quipped that he was the “guy behind the lady.”

It was the “second time” they’ve met. Anthony joked, “The first time we almost got arrested, but it was okay. We made it. Look at us now.”

Anthony is a “big fan of country music,” sharing, “It started with Kenny Rogers.”

Mackie noted that he’ll “take a lot of pictures” because there are several people he’ll be fanboying over at the CMT Awards.

Kelsea offered to introduce Anthony around, saying, “I’ll be your tour guide.”

Last year, Mackie “hung out” with Gladys Knight and Chris Stapleton, adding, “Me and Kane [Brown] were chilling.”

Along with hosting, Kelsea will be performing her new song at the fan-voted show. She said, “It’s like getting all the best of both worlds.”

Of the song, Ballerini dished that it is a “summery bop,” adding, “I just wanted it to be something that just felt happy and like you could roll your windows and down and just kind of get right.”

While she has collaborated with Kenny Chesney and Shania Twain in the past, she expressed her desire to do things on her own for a bit, saying, “I’m done collaborating for the minute.”

As for the Grammys, Kelsea and Anthony will be sharing the same table. Anthony revealed, “I’ve never been to the Grammys… I live in New Orleans, so our Grammys are different.”