WATCH: Kelsea Ballerini Goes Retro For Comedic 'If You Go Down (I’m Goin’ Down Too)' Music Video

Kelsea Ballerini has raised the bar when it comes to music videos. On Thursday, March 30, the multiple Grammy nominee showed off her acting skills in a cinematic piece for her friendship anthem, “If You Go Down (I’m Goin’ Down Too).”

The video is set in a classic ‘60s/’70s cul-de-sac community, emulating the spirit of the Harry Styles/Florence Pugh “Don’t Worry Darling” film with stylings of bright pastels, vintage apparel and plenty of nosey neighbors. As Ballerini carries her upbeat tone throughout the mandolin-laced recording, she’s seen smiling from ear-to-ear while plotting some heinous acts with her equally as crazy best girlfriends.

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Her character may appear to be charming and innocent at first, but behind the sweetheart energy, she’s got some devious plans that can only be achieved with the help of her friends. 

“Cause dirt on you is dirt on me / And we both know our hands ain’t clean / If it all blows up and we end up on the news / If you go down, I’m goin’ down too / If you go down, I’m goin’ down too,” she sings in the chorus, establishing the ride-or-die relationship. 

Ballerini acts out the song’s storyline of a young wife next door who takes on a murderous persona in an effort to rid herself of a bothersome husband. And she would have gotten away with it, if it weren’t for her neighbor with a clear view into her home.

While the narrative may sound gruesome, she takes a comedic approach equipped with cupcakes, sharp knives, an almost perfectly manicured lawn, glamorous sisters and some victim remains that are (literally) pushing up daisies. 

“I wanted something that had a real look and feel to it,” Ballerini explained in a press statement. “But it needed to be fun… and funny. I wanted something that made people laugh and clink their glasses, because when I wrote this, I wanted ‘If You Go Down’ to be a song that was a reason to turn up the dial.”

Putting aside the darker aspects, the message behind the song showcases the true power of having those friends who will always be around when you need them. From sharing a bottle of wine by the pool to venting about their lives and crazy laughing in the back of a cop car, they’re in it for the long haul. 

“I keep all your secrets by the dozen / You know where my skeletons sleep / Hypothetically, if you ever kill your husband / Hand on the Bible, I’d be lyin’ through my teeth,” the “Penthouse” singer continues. 

 “Obviously, it’s not true, but it’s fun to sing a line like ‘Hypothetically, if you ever kill your husband, Hand on the Bible, I’d be lying through my teeth…’,” the Black River Entertainment artist confessed with a laugh. “Nobody would ever do that, but it’s the kind of joke you can take in a song that’s funny.”

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Patrick Tracy, the director behind the video, is also responsible for Ballerini’s “Half of My Hometown,” which won the CMA award for Video of the Year.

“If You Go Down (I’m Goin’ Down Too)” is a buoyant track off the East Tennessee native’s fourth studio album, SUBJECT TO CHANGE, which arrived on September 23, 2022. The project features 15 tracks, including her GRAMMY-nominated song “HEARTFIRST,” fan-favorites such as, “What I Have,” “Doin’ My Best,” “Love Is A Cowboy,” and her collaboration with Kelly Clarkson and Carly Pearce, “You’re Drunk, Go Home.” 

After wrapping up the second leg of her HEARTFIRST Tour on March 18, Ballerini returned to the road as a special guest on Kenny Chesney’s I Go Back Tour. Additionally, she is set to return as co-host of the upcoming 2023 CMT Music Awards alongside Kane Brown. The star-studded show will air on Sunday, April 2 LIVE from Austin, Texas’ Moody Center at 8:00-11:00 PM, ET/PT on the CBS Television Network and available to stream live and on demand on Paramount+.

Following her hosting duties and her run with Chesney, Kelsea Ballerini will pick up her headlining trek on June 16 at the Santa Barbara Bowl. She will visit cities throughout the Western United States before closing out on July 1 at Arizona Financial Theatre in Phoenix, AZ.