Zach Bryan and Brianna Chickenfry's Relationship Timeline

Mar. 15, 2025

Photo:Theo Wargo/WireImage; Gilbert Flores/Penske Media via Getty Images

Theo Wargo/WireImage; Gilbert Flores/Penske Media via Getty Images

Country singerZach Bryanand podcast host Brianna “Chickenfry” LaPaglia have called it quits.

Bryanconfirmed their breakupin 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 anepisode of theBFFspodcast. On the podcast, she declared that what the two had was special — something she realizedafter spending 18 hours together in a car.

Bryan, whoended his relationship with Deb Peiferin May 2023, felt the same, and the two dated for more than a year before going their separate ways.

Post-split, LaPaglia hasalleged 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

Zach Bryan and Brianna Chickenfry.BFFs Podcast Youtube

BFFs Podcast Youtube

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

Zach Bryan/Instagram

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

Zach Bryan, Brianna Chickenfry.Erika Goldring/WireImage ; Brianna Chickenfry Instagram

Erika Goldring/WireImage ; Brianna Chickenfry Instagram

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 andposted on TikTok, LaPaglia later told herBFFscohosts 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

Zach Bryan, Brianna Chickenfry.Michael Buckner/Variety via Getty ; Brianna Chickenfry Instagram

Michael Buckner/Variety via Getty ; Brianna Chickenfry Instagram

A month after rumors started circulating about the pair’s relationship, LaPagliaconfirmed 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 theBFFspodcast

A week after confirming the news on her own podcast, LaPaglia shared the full story with her cohosts on theBFFspodcast.

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, LaPagliaposted a picture of Bryaneating 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

Brianna Chickenfry.Brianna Chickenfry TikTok

Brianna Chickenfry TikTok

A day after the country singer dropped his self-titled album, LaPaglia posted aTikTok of herself getting readyas she sang along to one of the album’s songs, “Smaller Acts.”

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!”

Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty

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

Brianna Chickenfry and Zach Bryan.Brianna Chickenfry Instagram

Brianna Chickenfry Instagram

The influencer posted some sweet moments from her life, including adopting her new puppy Boston, and in the carousel she added anintimate picture of her and Bryansitting 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

Neilson Barnard/Getty

Later that evening, Bryan won his first Grammy.

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

Brianna LaPaglia/Instagram

In honor of theirfirst 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

Zach Bryan and Brianna Chickenfry.Getty

Getty

During an episode of theBFFs 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 lifedealing 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.”

Reps for LaPaglia and Bryan did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.

November 7, 2024: Zach Bryan releases two new songs amid Brianna Chickenfry’s emotional abuse allegations

In a lengthy post the singer shared onInstagram, Bryan wrote about a recent visit to her grave in Oklahoma.

“Told herI quit touringbecause 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 theRolling Stone[sic] and most importantly told her about porch swinging with my beautiful sister,” he wrote. “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.”

January 15, 2025: Brianna Chickenfry calls herSports Illustrated Swimsuitcover her “favorite f— you”

When posing for the digital cover ofSI Swim,LaPaglia said that when the outlet had invited her to host the red carpet of their 60th-anniversary celebration,she passed on the opportunity because Bryan allegedly told her to turn it down.

With that relationship behind her, LaPaglia said posing for the cover felt like “reclaiming who I amas a woman, reclaiming my body and my decisions and my choices.”

“This cover is me being me again and taking control of my life,” she said. “This is my body; my body isn’t that experience, and even though I’m not 100% in it right now, this is me. This doesn’t have anything to do with anybody else.”

LaPaglia added, “It is just, on a petty level, my favorite f— you.”

source: people.com