Zach Bryan took to Instagram to announce his breakup with social media star Brianna “Chickenfry” LaPaglia in a move that left fans–and LaPaglia herself–shocked. The aftermath of the split has the internet divided.
The news seemed to catch LaPaglia completely off guard, as she tearfully shared her perspective in an emotional YouTube video titled ‘Love you guys, I’ll be back soon.‘
LaPaglia’s emotional response offers a glimpse into the fallout from the year-long romance. In it, LaPaglia says that she is “really blindsided” and that she felt “discarded.”
“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 OK?’” LaPaglia says in her response video, her voice cracking as she sits on her bathroom floor.
The visibly shaken LaPaglia goes on to express her heartbreak, questioning how one could give so much love only to feel discarded.
“This is so embarrassing….How can you give every ounce of yourself to someone and then be discarded in a few days?” she asks.
Tears streamed down her face as she confronted the emotional toll of the unexpected split–and the additional hurt she felt over the way in which Zach handled the breakup.
While she refrained from diving into the specifics of the end of their relationship, speculation swirled around the circumstances leading up to it.
In the months leading up to Bryan’s post, intermittent (but unconfirmed) posts on Reddit suggested Bryan had been spotted on Raya, a popular celebrity dating app.
Screenshots reportedly showcasing Bryan’s profile have been making the rounds on social media platforms like Reddit and TikTok, with some dating as far back as July.
Allegedly, these posts prompted LaPaglia to investigate if Zach was on the app. LaPaglia reportedly did find his profile on the app, complete with a listing of his age, occupation as a songwriter, and his hometown of Tulsa, Oklahoma. LaPaglia confronted Bryan about it shortly before he made his Instagram story.
The music star shared the following in his Instagram break-up story:
“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.”
Bryan acknowledged the personal struggles Brianna has been helping him battle throughout the past year, suggesting that parting ways was in the best interest of both parties.
“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.”
— Zach Bryan on his October 22 Instagram story
Though Bryan’s Instagram story was only up for the usual 24-hour timeframe and has since disappeared, numerous people captured screenshot. You can see the full text of the Bryan’s break-up Instagram story here.
As the dust settles on the high-profile split, it’s clear that breakups, no matter how public, carry their own unique challenges.
For fans, this saga is a reminder of the difficulties of love and heartbreak in the spotlight.
