FLETCHER and Kelsea Ballerini released the much-anticipated “Better Version” music video on Friday (Jan. 6).
The pop hitmaker and country superstar are joined by actor Gavin Leatherwood (Sabrina The Teenage Witch / Sex Lives of College Girls) and actress Ava Capri (Love Victor, Do Revenge) in the cinematic video which simultaneously portrays the rise and fall of two love stories.
Directed by Eva Doležalová and produced by Peter Williams, the clip opens with scenes featuring FLETCHER and Ballerini portraying the roles of characters falling fast and hard for their new love interests.
As the clip continues, the storyline showcases the relationships quickly turning sour as their characters fall out of love with their respective significant others.
“There’s these feelings that I get when I’m by myself like this radical independence and freedom and I only get them when I’m alone and those are the feelings that I just feel like you should never let die,” FLETCHER shares in the opening scene, foreshadowing what’s to come.
“I don’t want you to go anywhere, like I can’t imagine a world where you f**king go anywhere. Sometimes I just wish that we had like a crystal ball that would tell us what to do like what our next move should be. I just… I don’t think I can stay here,” FLETCHER adds as the video pans away from a breakup and into a diner.
The clip then finds FLETCHER and Ballerini eating alone in the same diner, where they bump into each other. They seemingly become friends as they bond over their breakups.
FLETCHER recently opened up about the just-released music video in an interview with Rolling Stone.
“The video captures the unraveling of two different love stories, something Kelsea and I both really wanted to bring to life as we really connected on the real emotions of what closing a chapter feels like,” Fletcher told the publication. “And while the love may be different, we still all go through the same emotions.”
FLETCHER and Ballerini each endured public breakups within the past year and have since bonded over their heartbreaks.
“Kelsea and I both really connected on the many emotions of closing a chapter in your life and the mess that sort of comes with it,” Fletcher admitted.
The pair released the collaborative song in mid-November.
“Having her [Kelsea] write her own perspective on the song and dreaming up this short film together with the incredible director Eva Doležalová was such a dream,” Fletcher told Rolling Stone.
“Better Version” featuring Ballerini was co-written by Cari Fletcher, Kelsea Ballerini, Kinetics and Malay.
“Do you think of me when you f**k her? / Do you use the moves, the ones we learned? / It’s always the next person / That gets the better version / ‘Cause baby, I loved you at your worst / And I fixed your heart, but mine still hurts / And now some other person / Is gonna get the better version of you (Of you, ooh) / Of you (Oh, yeah, yeah),” the pair harmonize on the chorus of the track.
The tune appears on FLETCHER’s debut project, Girl Of My Dreams (Deluxe). The tune is the fifth single from FLETCHER’s album, following “Becky’s So Hot,” “Her Body Is Bible,” “Sting” and “Healing.”
“The fact that I get to have an even better version, (yes cheesy ass pun intended) of my personal favorite song from my album brought to life by an artist who I’ve not only been a fan of for a long time, but is also such a close human in my life fills my heart,” the pop star added.
FLETCHER and Ballerini have formed a friendship over the course of the last year and have been seen at each other concerts. They’ve also popped up on each other’s TikToks and enjoyed a recent outing at an axe throwing establishment and are currently on a tropical vacation together with friends.
@fletcher tell @Kelsea Ballerini you want it
FLETCHER recently rang in the New Year at Miley’s New Year’s Eve Party in Miami, Florida, where she performed her viral hit “Becky’s Hot” as well as a “Midnight Sky” alongside Miley Cyrus.
Ballerini welcomed 2023 while performing at Nashville’s Big Bash in Music City. The “HEARTFIRST” singer delivered a full headlining concert at Bicentennial Mall alongside Zac Brown Band, Brooks & Dunn as well as co-hosts Jimmie Allen and Elle King.
