- Zach Bryan and Brianna LaPaglia (a.k.a. Brianna Chickenfry) met at the ACM Awards in May 2023
- Bryan “slid into [LaPaglia’s] DMs” after she attended and praised his New York City concert in June 2023
- They started dating in July 2023
- Bryan confirmed they went their separate ways in October 2024
Country singer Zach Bryan and podcast host Brianna “Chickenfry” LaPaglia have called it quits.
Bryan confirmed their breakup in a post on his Instagram Stories in October 2024, more than a year after the former couple first took their relationship public in July 2023.
At the time, LaPaglia gave a full breakdown of their romance, from when they met to how they started dating, in an episode of the BFFs podcast. On the podcast, she declared that what the two had was special — something she realized after spending 18 hours together in a car.
“He’s like, the nicest, most genuine person I’ve ever met. He’s so normal,” she told cohosts Dave Portnoy, Josh Richards and Grace O’Malley. “We did a f—ing 18-hour car ride together and … didn’t turn the music on once and talked the whole time.”
She continued, “That’s when I knew, like, oh this guy’s actually awesome. We got to know each other. We’ve been spending a lot of time together.”
Bryan, who ended his relationship with Deb Peifer in May 2023, felt the same, and the two dated for more than a year before going their separate ways.
Post-split, LaPaglia has alleged that Bryan emotionally abused her.
From how they met to their response to internet haters, here’s a complete timeline of Zach Bryan and Brianna Chickenfry’s relationship.
May 11, 2023: Zach Bryan and Brianna Chickenfry meet at the Academy of Country Music Awards
Both Bryan and LaPaglia attended the Academy of Country Music Awards, where the latter asked the country star for a photo together. LaPaglia insisted that the two “didn’t say anything to each other” apart from her asking for the photo as they were both in relationships at the time, though LaPaglia’s boyfriend did not accompany her to the event.
May 31, 2023: Zach Bryan announces he ended his relationship with Deb Peifer
Bryan announced his split from his girlfriend in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter.
“Things are mutual between us, we’re leaving with plenty [of] memories and good times,” he wrote. “I beg so much that everyone respects her and my privacy through a hard time.”
June 23, 2023: Brianna Chickenfry joins Zach Bryan onstage at his concert in New York City
LaPaglia and her cohost Richards attended Bryan’s concert at Forest Hills Stadium in N.Y.C., where they enjoyed the views from the stage and joined the country crooner in singing one of his songs.
Despite her appearance, which several concertgoers filmed and posted on TikTok, LaPaglia later told her BFFs cohosts that the two didn’t speak at the event at all.
However, she added, the two did start speaking a few days after when he “slid into [her] DMs.”
“I was still with my boyfriend at the concert. And then, a few days later, me and Joey break up. And [Bryan] had already broken up with his girlfriend, and then he f—in’ slid into my DMs,” she explained. “I made a podcast after we went onstage and was like, ‘Eat the rich besides Zach Bryan’ and he posted it and then he DM’d me and said, ‘That was so sweet, thank you guys for coming.’ And then we just started chatting.”
July 28, 2023: Brianna Chickenfry confirms her relationship with Zach Bryan on her podcast
A month after rumors started circulating about the pair’s relationship, LaPaglia confirmed they were dating on her podcast, PlanBri Uncut.
“I think I might have some stuff to address: I’ve been hanging out with a guy named Zach,” she told her cohost O’Malley.
When O’Malley asked for a last name, she responded, “Bryan” and added that the two had “started hanging out” around “three weeks ago.”
“It’s fun, it’s casual… just wanted to address it because the whole internet is freaking the f— out and people are doing s—” she said.
LaPaglia added that she had originally wanted to keep the relationship private for a little longer, but ultimately decided to address all the speculation head on.
“We’re just hanging out, having fun, and that’s where I’ve been, that’s what I’ve been doing, that’s what I’m gonna be doing for a little bit. We’ll see where it goes, and I’m happy,” she concluded.
August 4, 2023: Brianna Chickenfry opens up about her relationship with Zach Bryan on the BFFs podcast
A week after confirming the news on her own podcast, LaPaglia shared the full story with her cohosts on the BFFs podcast.
While Portnoy was upset that LaPaglia hadn’t even told him the relationship news first, LaPaglia clarified that she had just wanted to keep it under wraps a little while longer.
“I thought we were just going to get away with it for a little bit, ‘cause I knew what the reaction was going to be, because I just got out of a relationship, he just got out of a relationship,” she said, adding that she’d gotten “a lot of hate.”
At one point in the podcast, LaPaglia revealed she was in Bryan’s home state of Oklahoma with the singer, who popped in to say hello.
The same day, LaPaglia posted a picture of Bryan eating ice cream in a carousel of Instagram photos, marking the country singer’s debut on her social media.
August 26, 2023: Brianna Chickenfry posts a TikTok supporting Zach Bryan’s album
A day after the country singer dropped his self-titled album, LaPaglia posted a TikTok of herself getting ready as she sang along to one of the album’s songs, “Smaller Acts.”
TikTok users quickly speculated that a certain line might have been inspired by LaPaglia. In the song, Bryan sings “Friday afternoon at the Mercury Lounge;” the musician previously posted an Instagram Story of himself and LaPaglia at the Mercury Lounge in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
LaPaglia also raved about the album to PEOPLE a few days later. “I’ve been listening to it for a little bit. It’s really good,” she said, “All of the songs are like Top 20 right now, so … go stream it!”
August 27, 2023: Brianna Chickenfry addresses the hateful comments she’s received since going public with her relationship
In an exclusive interview with PEOPLE during the Streamy Awards, LaPaglia opened up about how she’s facing “hate” over her new relationship with the “Something in the Orange” singer.
“It’s fun, I’m like eating it up,” she said, though admitted that it was “kind of crazy at first.”
“But now, I realize you can’t buy into love — or hate — on the internet,” she continued. “You just kinda gotta be yourself and see where it takes ya.”
She added that she wanted to make sure the truth was out there, which is why she took control of her own narrative on her podcast.
“I wanted to keep it quiet as long as I could, but everyone on the internet is FBI agents, so they figured everything out and I was like, ‘I need to get ahead of it, I need to say what’s right, what’s real and what’s true,’ so I did it on my podcast,” she said.
September 25, 2023: Brianna Chickenfry posts a picture with Zach Bryan on her Instagram
The influencer posted some sweet moments from her life, including adopting her new puppy Boston, and in the carousel she added an intimate picture of her and Bryan sitting outside an RV. The picture captures Bryan as he leans over to LaPaglia and plants a kiss on her cheek while she’s smiling.
Later in the post, the two enjoy a concert together as LaPaglia films Bryan singing and swaying along to the music. “Happiness (puppies) is a hell of a drug mayne,” she wrote in the caption.
February 4, 2024: Brianna Chickenfry and Zach Bryan make their red carpet debut at the Grammys
LaPaglia and Bryan made their red carpet debut as a couple at the 2024 Grammys in Los Angeles. The podcast host dazzled in a custom black dress from Undone by Kate, while the country singer looked handsome in an all-black suit and bow tie.
Later that evening, Bryan won his first Grammy.
May 14, 2024: Brianna Chickenfry and Zach Bryan get into a “traumatizing” ATV crash
In a video on TikTok, LaPaglia revealed to fans that she and Bryan were involved in an ATV accident.
“Zach and I got into a traumatizing side-by-side crash. It flipped a bunch of times, everything shattered and thank God we had our seatbelts on. But there was a lot of blood, and we thought … we were saying goodbye to each other,” she shared.
The couple walked away nearly unscathed, aside from a sizable gash on Bryan’s arm that required stitches.
July 14, 2024: Brianna Chickenfry and Zach Bryan celebrate one year of dating
In honor of their first anniversary, Bryan penned a sweet post on Instagram about LaPaglia.
“Here’s to a year together. Happy anniversary and I love you so much Brianna,” he wrote. “Just about one of the only people that makes me laugh anymore and OFTEN. Proud to call you my girl.”
LaPaglia responded with her own post, writing, “A year full of loving harder than I thought I was capable of and laughing louder than any year before. There isn’t a damn thing I wouldn’t do for ya. My person forever. I love you my Zachary.”
October 22, 2024: Zach Bryan confirms he and Brianna Chickenfry have broken up
In a post shared on his Instagram Stories, Bryan wrote that the couple had broken up, though he continued to “respect and love her with every ounce of my heart.”
“She has loved me unconditionally for a very long time and for that I’ll always thank her,” he wrote. “I have had an incredibly hard year personally and struggled through some pretty severe things. I thought it would be beneficial for both of us to go our different ways.”
Shortly afterward, LaPaglia seemed to respond to his post with one on her own Instagram Stories, saying that she was feeling “really blindsided.”
“Gonna hop off social media for a while and attempt to heal privately, when I’m ready I’ll be back and ready to talk,” she wrote in her post. “I love you guys so much thank you for all of your kind words. Remember you are so loved and everything’s always gonna be okay.”
November 7, 2024: Brianna Chickenfry claims Zach Bryan emotionally abused her
During an episode of the BFFs Podcast, LaPaglia candidly discussed her relationship with Bryan, alleging that he emotionally abused her.
“The last year of my life has been the hardest year of my life dealing with the abuse from this dude,” she shared. “I’m still scared right now because I’m scared of him. My brain’s rewired and I’m scared to make him mad.”
LaPaglia also alleged that Bryan asked her to sign an NDA, offering her $12 million and a New York apartment to “not talk about the relationship.”
Source: People
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