Morgan Wallen’s ex-fiancée, KT Smith, joined Bunnie Xo on a recent episode of Dumb Blonde, and spoke about her relationship with the now-reigning Country Music Association Entertainer of the Year.

Smith met Wallen in 2016 — two years after he appeared on The Voice — and at that time, “I didn’t know who he was.” She recalled the country star inviting her to a small show he was playing, and admitted that the evening “did not go expected” when they went to a bar together afterward. Smith said “he was not thrilled that I wouldn’t go home with him,” but she received apology texts afterward and agreed to try again. The romance got “pretty serious,” and she “thought he hung the moon and stars.” Wallen popped the question with a simple proposal in Knoxville, Tennessee. Smith said the engagement didn’t last long, but they stayed together despite issues in the relationship amid Wallen’s rise in fame, including cheating rumors.

“I was very much in love with him,” Smith said. “He’s grown as a person now and I respect him more now than I ever have. His life is extremely private, but what people don’t see is that he has grown tremendously. I respect him so much as a person, and he’s a great dad and he lives a great life that’s private and he can still do what he does while keeping it private. And I think that’s great. And I love that he’s had that radical change. And it wasn’t with me, but that’s OK. He’s a good dad and we can co-parent well.”