Kelsea Ballerini Breaks Down in Tears During ‘Penthouse’ Performance [Watch]

Kelsea Ballerini's audience came to her rescue during an emotional moment as she performed her song "Penthouse" over the weekend.

Ballerini was singing at the Barefoot Country Music Festival on Friday (June 19) when she got so emotional, she had to stop singing. The moment came in the middle of "Penthouse," when she got to the line, "I bought the house with a fence / Enough room for some kids / A backyard for Dibs."

Dibs, who the singer describes as her "soul dog," died in January after a year-and-a-half-long battle with inoperable heart cancer.

Watch Kelsea Ballerini Break Down As She Sings "Penthouse" After Dibs' Death

Ballerini hadn't performed "Penthouse" in the months since Dibs died, and when she returned the song to her live set on Friday, emotions were raw.

"Sorry, I haven't sang this since he passed away. Can you help me a little bit?" Ballerini asked the crowd, crouching down onstage and holding the microphone out for fans to help her through the chorus of the song.

At one point, she mouthed the words "Thank you" towards the audience.

She mustered her composure enough to return to the mic for the final verse of "Penthouse," and concluded the song by looking out in gratitude towards the crowd.

What Has Kelsea Ballerini Said About Her Dog Dibs' Illness + Death?

When Dibs died in January, Ballerini shared a moving tribute to her dog that featured several photos of Dibs through the years.

"There are no words to articulate his role in my life, but I couldn't have done the last ten years without him, and he will always be my soul dog," she wrote. "I pray and believe that we'll find each other in every life."

Read More: Kelsea Ballerini Mourns the Death of Her Dog Dibs

"I feel like the luckiest girl in the world that I got to be his dog mom, greatest gift of my life," she added.

Ballerini adopted Dibs, a doodle, in 2015. She named him after a hit song off her debut album.

She revealed his cancer diagnosis in August 2024, saying that she planned to start him on "the big meds" to help him stay comfortable and stable amid a grim prognosis.

At the time of his diagnosis, Dibs was given a four-month prognosis. He beat that, and lived for nearly a year and a half with his condition.