Jessi Draper is opening up about her divorce — and how one country song hit a little too close to home.
The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives star recently shared that during a tough night after her split from husband, Jordan Ngatikaura, she found herself connecting deeply with Kelsea Ballerini’s “breakup album.”
Country fans know all too well, she’s talking about Rolling Up the Welcome Mat.
A Song That Hit Different
On the Call Her Daddy podcast, Jessi described a night spent with friends, drinking wine and processing the reality of her marriage ending.
When she returned home alone, she said one song in particular stuck with her: Ballerini’s “Penthouse.”
Read More: Kelsea Ballerini Says She’ll Stop Singing ‘Penthouse’ if Fans Can’t Be Respectful
The track, which details the emotional and financial fallout of a breakup, and what comes next.
This specific lyric hit close to home for Jessi:
It hurts putting s–t in a box / And now we don’t talk / And it stings rolling up the welcome mat / Knowing you got half.
For Jessi, that line wasn’t just emotional — it felt personal.
She explained that as she navigates her divorce from Jordan, the reality of finances and a possible prenup — including the chance she could have to pay her ex — has started to sink in.
A Difficult Chapter
News broke earlier this month that Jordan filed for divorce after five years of marriage. The couple share two children, son Jagger and daughter Jovi.
Jessi has since said she initially believed they would handle the split together, but claimed she instead learned about the filing through the media.
Read More: Kelsea Ballerini Admits She’s Got Some Regrets About ‘Rolling Up the Welcome Mat’ [Watch]
Despite the difficult circumstances, Jessi has been candid about speaking out, even knowing it could lead to pushback.
“Doing this was scary because it will start a war,” she said in a message to fans. “But I think it’s important to speak your truth as a woman.”
Finding Something to Hold Onto
In the middle of it all, Jessi says music has been one of the things helping her process it.
And like many fans before her, she’s finding that Ballerini’s Rolling Up the Welcome Mat isn’t just an album — it’s something that hits differently when you’re living it in real time.
8 Brutally Honest Divorce Lyrics From Kelsea Ballerini’s ‘Rolling Up the Welcome Mat’ EP
Kelsea Balerini opened up her divorce diary in February 2023 with her Rolling Up the Welcome Mat EP, a project that follows the stages of a breakup — from grief and loneliness to anger to acceptance — in chronological order. Here are eight of the most revealing lyrics from the project.
Gallery Credit: Carena Liptak
