The 5 Red Flags Brianna 'Chickenfry' LaPaglia Ignored In Her Relationship With Zach Bryan

Note: This article includes accusations of domestic abuse.

Social media influencer Brianna "Chickenfry" LaPaglia's split with country music star Zach Bryan in October 2024 shocked many, including her. He announced it on his Instagram story, writing, "Brianna and me have broken up with eachother [sic] 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" (via X, formerly Twitter). He then went on to condemn himself, writing, "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."

Seemed like a pretty standard, albeit grammatically incorrect, breakup announcement, right? Wrong. LaPaglia responded to the statement with a tearful YouTube video, where she confirmed that they were broken up, but Bryan's online declaration was just as much of a surprise for her. "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," she continued. Later she added, "I'm completely blindsided by that."

It wasn't long before viewers grew suspicious of the "Something in the Orange" singers' actions, and what their relationship must have been like behind the scenes. LaPaglia let herself grieve her broken relationship for a while, but once she got to talking, the truth came out. Here are some major red flags LaPaglia exposed, and ignored, during her 15-month relationship with Bryan.

During a November 2024 episode of the "BFFs" podcast, featuring co-hosts Brianna LaPaglia and influencer Josh Richards (and former co-host and founder of Barstool Sports Dave Portnoy), she got down to the nitty-gritty and explained one of the first major warning signs she missed with Zach Bryan. She accused the singer of "love bombing" her. Love bombing is when someone acts exceptionally loving very early on in a relationship, packing on the grand romantic gestures to reel their new partner in. However, it's underhanded and is typically used as a manipulation tactic to coerce people to stay in, often unhealthy, relationships.

Shortly after the pair first met, Bryan asked LaPaglia to join him on a road trip. It was only a few days later when he got her name inked on his arm, before he had even asked her to officially be his girlfriend: "After that weekend, we spent three days together, I think two or three days later, he got me tattooed on his arm." 

A tattoo of someone's name a few days into hanging out seems to fit the bill of love bombing. A further example of the tactic that LaPaglia shared included a change in Bryan's demeanor several months after their relationship had begun. "I truly thought he was this great dude because in the first four months of our relationship he was," LaPaglia said on "BFFs." "That's who he showed me. I fell in love with this person that doesn't exist." 

Once Brianna LaPaglia and Zach Bryan had made it official, she claimed that he policed what she wore and the way she presented herself to the public. In the aforementioned "BFFs" podcast episode, LaPaglia detailed how the singer left her devastated the night of the 2024 Golden Globes.

LaPaglia claimed that he disapproved of the dress she chose to wear, and was angry about the photos she posted on Instagram. "He said he didn't want to date someone that presents themselves that way," she said. She then revealed how Bryan chose to react to the post: " ... he unfollows me because of the dress. He tells me all the Instagram pictures that I have that I have to delete, and I'm like, 'Okay, yeah, I guess.' He makes me believe that I have to change my image to keep up with his or something." By the way, the dress in question was a stunning, shimmery, and sheer floor-length bedazzled gown (seen above). Sure, it could be deemed risque because of the sweetheart neckline, mesh bodice, and high slit, but LaPaglia felt good in what she was wearing, and Bryan reportedly guilted her for that.

Her red carpet look reportedly wasn't the only thing LaPaglia did that sent the "Spotless" singer on a rampage, attempting to strip her of any autonomy. She said on "BFFs," "Everything good, anything good I did for me, he made sure to ruin it for me. He ruined my birthday, he ruined my tour, he ruined the Golden Globes. Anything Brianna did for Brianna, he had to ruin it."

Dave Portnoy, Brianna LaPaglia's employer and former co-host of the "BFFs" podcast, didn't waste any time when releasing diss tracks about Zach Bryan after the news of their breakup went public. The tracks were dutifully titled "Smallest Man (Dave's Version)" and "Country Diddy." These songs, though satirical, effectively ripped the singer apart, with the former seemingly referencing Taylor Swift's "The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived" and the latter comparing Bryan to Sean "Diddy" Combs, who as of writing is in prison awaiting trial for sex trafficking charges. The beef caused fans to wonder what other people in LaPaglia's life thought of Bryan while they were together.

Grace O'Malley, LaPaglia's former best friend and previous co-host of the "PlanBri Uncut" podcast, had been close with LaPaglia since grade school. However, the "Heading South" singer nearly tore them apart. During a live comedy show in November 2024, O'Malley revealed her distaste for Bryan and said she's been approached about scoring concert tickets to his shows. "I'm like, 'I don't f*** with that guy,'" she said.

It doesn't seem that O'Malley's disinterest in Bryan came out of the blue. One of the tracks on his "Great American Bar Scene" album is titled "Pink Skies," and LaPaglia dished out all the tea. In a now-deleted TikTok, she claimed, "Because I forced him to go to [O'Malley's] grandma's funeral he screamed at me then wrote it that night" (via Us Weekly). If that's true, Bryan profited off of someone else's tragedy that didn't truly affect him.

Old habits die hard. Fans were quick to examine patterns in Zach Bryan's past relationships and rumors of past infidelity spread. The singer was married to U.S. Navy aviator Rose Madden from 2020 until 2021. Some netizens assumed that he stepped outside his marriage while Madden was deployed, but neither party has commented on the speculation. Following his divorce from Madden, Bryan quickly got into another relationship with Deb Peifer in 2022. The two split in May 2023, with Brianna LaPaglia and Bryan reportedly meeting earlier that month. LaPaglia officially announced their relationship a mere two months later in July on her podcast "PlanBri Uncut." At the time, she said, "We'll see where it goes, and I'm happy" (via People). Once again, neither party has made a comment alluding to Bryan cheating on Peifer with LaPaglia, but the latter eventually accused Bryan of cheating on her.

During a December 2024 episode of the "Hot Mess" podcast with fellow influencer Alix Earle, LaPaglia all-too-cavalierly mentioned, "I didn't know he was cheating on me the whole time." She continued, "I kind of brushed over that because the cheating was the most normal part for me." She claimed that she found out at the end of their relationship Bryan had been unfaithful, stating that he was advertising himself on dating apps while they were together. "I was like, 'Okay, this is crazy.' Then I had all these girls DMing me," the podcaster said. "Then I have receipts and receipts of people telling me."

All of the claims about how Brianna LaPaglia was emotionally abused during her relationship with Zach Bryan almost didn't come to light, since she additionally claimed that his team offered her a cool $12 million to sign a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) and not speak a word on his name. The jaw-dropping amount of money in exchange for an NDA is yet another red flag about Bryan and LaPaglia's relationship.

In the tell-all on their split on the "BFFs" podcast, LaPaglia revealed the moral battle she was faced with as an internet personality. "Basically, I would have gotten the money over the course of three years. I would have had to sign all of my experiences, everything that I am away to this person," she said. Ultimately, LaPaglia turned down the life-altering sum and put herself, and her beliefs, first: "Maybe I'm not gonna be selling out stadiums and f****** making hundreds of millions of dollars. That is — I'm alright where I'm at, and I don't want blood money." She later confirmed, "I did not accept any money. I will not accept any money. I think that's beneath me."

As of writing, Bryan hasn't spoken about the accusations LaPaglia put forth. However, in a series of Instagram Stories from January 2025, he said he didn't care about the rumors people spread about him, only that he didn't like people hating on his friends. "Coming for people I love and care for is my line and final straw," he said (per E! News).

If you or someone you know is dealing with domestic abuse, you can call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1−800−799−7233. You can also find more information, resources, and support at ​​their website.