The Time 100 Next event was star studded! Young Hollywood’s biggest names walked the red carpet to celebrate the magazine’s up and coming success stories on Tuesday, October 24, in New York City.
Kelsea Ballerini rocked a stunning black gown with cutouts while posing alongside her boyfriend, Chase Stokes, and her cover of Time Magazine. Kelsea made headlines in February after releasing her Rolling Up the Welcome Mat EP following her divorce from fellow singer Morgan Evans. However, the country music songstress never knew how releasing that EP would change the trajectory of her career.
“The whole thing is a journey; it starts with the moment I decide for myself that I’m going to make a really big life change, and it takes you through more or less all the stages of grief,” she told Time of the songs in her September cover story. “It’s scary to bookmark your life so precisely and then put it out so publicly. It’s terrifying and so absolutely rewarding.”
Kelsea knew she was ready to release the music into the world when she felt “indifferent” and “at peace” about her past struggles.
“I feel really proud of myself as a woman for honoring myself and being brave enough to share it; now it’s not mine,” she added. “[The songs] have connected me to these people that now all are on this healing journey together, growing up together, messing up together, and learning together, and that’s the whole point of life.”
Also joining Kelsea at the event was Rachel Zegler, who found success after her portrayal as Maria in the 2021 remake of West Side Story. Now, she’s going to star in the Hunger Games prequel movie, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes.
Rita Moreno, Rachel’s West Side Story co-star, praised the actress as a “triple threat” in her Time Magazine feature.
“A very important lesson I learned — being Latina in particular, which worked against me so much and for so long — is that you need to have the stuff to withstand all that and still remain a positive person,” Rita wrote of Rachel. “I know, without a doubt, Rachel has all that and more.”
Click through our gallery to see Young Hollywood’s biggest stars at the Time 100 Next event.
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