Zach Bryan & Brianna Chickenfry's Break Up Is COMPLICATED — Here's What To Know
Haley Sprankle is B+C's Content Editor, leading coverage across pop culture, beauty, style, home, and beyond. You can find her previous work at WIRED, Wirecutter, and VH1. Outside of work, she's probably drinking a dirty martini, walking her french bulldogs, or quoting School of Rock somewhere.
Zach Bryan and Brianna "Chickenfry" LaPaglia's explosive breakup is everywhere right now. From his seemingly one-sided social media posts to all the bombshell revelations she keeps dropping, it's clear this split is NOT amicable. Both parties are dropping tons of lore, info, and everything in between — including new music?! — right now, so it makes sense if you can't keep up. Luckily, I'm here to help break this breakup down for you! Here's everything you need to know about Zach Bryan and Brianna Chickenfry's relationship...or lack thereof.
Neilson Barnard/Getty Images for The Recording Academy
October 22, 2024 – Zach Bryan Announces His Breakup With Brianna Chickenfry
On October 22, 2024, after some recent speculation that Zach Bryan and Brianna Chickenfry split up, Zach took to his Instagram stories. The country star said, "Addressing something: Brianna and me have broken up with [each other] and I 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 continued, noting, "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. I am not perfect and never will be. Please respect Brianna's privacy and space in this and if you have it in your heart, mine too."
To wrap it all up, he closed by apologizing to his fans. He said, "With everything I am and to anyone I let down, I am sorry. I try my best in everything. I failed people that love me and mostly myself."
Brianna hopped on her own Instagram stories shortly there after. She posted, "Hey guys I'm feeling really blindsided right now. 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. 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 🫶"
The Brianna got on Youtube next, posting a raw, emotional video about the situation. Sitting on the floor of her bathroom, she opened up as much as she could in the moment about her breakup. She said, "I just woke up to Zach posting on his Instagram that we broke up and I had no idea that post was going up. He didn't text me, he didn't call me. I just woke up to a bunch of texts, like, 'Are you okay?'"
Brianna, with her teary eyes and red face, explained she's been crying for "five days straight." She said, "I'm at the point where it's like, how can you give someone everything and love them so unconditionally, like through stuff that you shouldn't because you just love them and you want them... like you see the good in them?"
The internet personality said that this is all "so embarrassing" and "really, really heartbreaking." She elaborated that the couple broke up on October 21, but wanted to process on her own and "didn't want it to be public."
Much like her Instagram story, she told her audience that she'll come back when she's ready.
November 7, 2024 — Brianna Claims Zach's Emotionally Abusive, Wanted $12Mil NDA
Well, it appears this week, Brianna decided she's ready. On Barstool Sports' BFF's Pod November 7, 2024, Brianna gave an inside look at the breakup unlike any other. Not only did she claim Zach was abusive, but she also alleged that he offered her a $12 million NDA to "not talk about the relationship."
After saying it's been the hardest year of her life, she said. "I'm still scared right now because I'm scared of him. My brain's rewired and I'm scared to make him mad and last week, I didn't want to talk about it 'cause I was scared."
Brianna then described the alleged emotional abuse. She noted that everything was cyclical and that he would build her up only to break her back down again. "There was always another excuse as to why he was treating me so poorly and why I'm crying myself to sleep every night, why he's screaming at me," she said. "And then you wake up, it's the apology, it's the 'I'm going to be better like I need you in my life,' but if you've been through this — I don't expect people to understand emotional abuse if you haven't been through it. I hope you never have to go through it but if you've been there you know what I'm talking about."
Not only does Brianna allege she was offered an NDA, but she said that other women that came before her had to sign their own agreements. She declined the offer because she didn't want to "sign away [her] experiences and what [she] went through to protect someone that hurt [her]." She also wanted to share this experience for other women who've suffered something similar.
And when it comes to the logistics of losing out on the famous lifestyle and alleged $12 million? She said, "It was never about the money — I was with the dude because I loved the dude."
Jason Kempin/Getty Images for Pilgrimage Music & Cultural Festival
November 8, 2024 — Zach Quit Touring Amid Abuse Allegations
On November 8, 2024, Zach posted on Instagram — where he clearly loves to share all his big news — that not only is his new single "High Road" out today, but that he's also ending his tour early. Read his full statement here:
After not being home for a year and a half I drove out to my mothers gravestone in the dead of night a few days back on familiar Oklahoma roads and I came to realize just like in the past, that she never would call me again
Told her I quit touring because I got accepted to get my masters in Paris next year, I told her I was back in Oklahoma, told her about all my best friends in New York and all the nights we howled with the moon, told her about the immeasurable laughter my band and me have shared these last five years, all the calluses on my finger tips, every tear shed, told her about making it on The Rolling Stone and most importantly told her about porch swinging with my beautiful sister.
I wrote the chorus for this song a month or two back and finished it when I realized I was blessed with all these things.
I figured it was about time I released it.
Thank you guys for listening to ‘This Worlds a Giant’ last night and thank you to all the people who love me; who have truly carried the weight with me.
Seems that all these Quiet Dreams have gotten much too heavy but I’m home now and I’ll hold you through the pain.
High Road is out today and I appreciate all of you"
@ihatebriannachickenfry Sometimes all you need is a nyc sunrise and some good pals
♬ I Can Do It With a Broken Heart - Taylor Swift
November 15, 2024 — Brianna Alleges Zach Bryan Picked Out Engagement Ring For Her
It goes down in the DM, according to Brianna (& Yo Gotti). In a TikTok caption, Brianna explained that her "biggest celeb crush tried to slide [in her DMs] a few months back" but that she denied it given her relationship with Zach. Then, in the comments Brianna elaborated that she continues to learn more about Zach's alleged infidelities — and how deep they really go. She wrote, "Been finding out he was cheating the whole time lol. The week he showed me my engagement ring he was DMing girls hahahahha.” OOF, that's tough.
November 17, 2024 — Brianna Posts TikTok With A New Man... & Threatens To Post Alleged Abuse From Zach Bryan
After going through Taylor Swift's entire anthology (girl, we've BEEN there!), it's clear Brianna Chickenfry isn't about to let her breakup with Zach Bryan bring her down. The podcast host posted a TikTok on November 17, 2024 with the caption, “Sometimes all you need is a nyc sunrise and some good pals." And while that message is sweet, we noticed something else pretty sweet — the man she's seemingly cuddled up with throughout the 42 second clip!
Commenters were quick to notice, too — one person even writing, "That was fast." Brianna responded, “Well I was cheated on my whole relationship so yeah," clearly proving she doesn't care what anyone thinks right now. And good for her!
That same day, Brianna threatened to share videos of alleged abuse from her relationship after Zach kept posting pictures of her cats, according to Page Six. She said the videos depict “whipping s–t at my face," but her reps have yet to respond to Page Six for comment about this.
Definitely a whirlwind of a day in the life of Bri...
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Haley Sprankle is B+C's Content Editor, leading coverage across pop culture, beauty, style, home, and beyond. You can find her previous work at WIRED, Wirecutter, and VH1. Outside of work, she's probably drinking a dirty martini, walking her french bulldogs, or quoting School of Rock somewhere.