close
close

Breakup and abuse allegations between Zach Bryan and Brianna LaPaglia, explained

Topline

Barstool Sports owner Dave Portnoy criticized country star Zach Bryan in a new dissident track, “Country Diddy,” just days after Bryan's ex-girlfriend and Barstool podcast host Brianna LaPaglia claimed the musician had her “emotionally abused” her and offered her a $12 million severance-disclosure agreement, which she says she rejected (Bryan did not immediately respond LaPaglia's accusations or Portnoy's songs responded).

Important facts

Portnoy released the dissident track “Country Diddy” on YouTube Sunday night, the title of which refers to Sean “Diddy” Combs, who is currently incarcerated awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges, over personal insults in defense of his “BFFs Podcast” co- host LaPaglia following her split from the singer (the title mentions Bryan and Combs' alleged use of nondisclosure agreements, although Bryan has not faced many of the other serious allegations against Combs).

LaPaglia, also known as Brianna Chickenfry, detailed her split from Bryan on her podcast with Portnoy last week, claiming she turned down a non-disclosure agreement because she “didn't want any money from the guy who literally fucking ruined and broke me.” “Year,” Bryan claimed he also asked former girlfriends to sign nondisclosure agreements.

She reported various incidents of what she described as emotional abuse and stated that she was “afraid of him.” At one point, she held up her phone and said he threw it against a wall, causing it to shatter.

LaPaglia said Bryan invited her on a road trip shortly after they met at his concert, after which she said she fell victim to a “love bombing” and claimed Bryan got a tattoo of her on his arm, after only knowing each other for a few days.

She said she was subjected to a vicious cycle of Bryan yelling at her and then apologizing, claiming he was looking for excuses to treat her badly. She described an instance where Bryan allegedly insulted her friends and family and broke glass during her birthday party.

LaPaglia claimed Bryan tried to control her personal and professional life, as well as her social media presence. He claimed he unfollowed her and said he “didn't want to date someone who presents themselves like that” after she shared pictures of her dress at the Golden Globe Awards on Instagram in January.

LaPaglia also posted a TikTok over the weekend in which she dismissed rumors that Portnoy paid her to talk about the breakup, claiming she was actually losing money because she had to move out of Bryan's apartment and is currently trying to get an apartment find.

What does Portnoy say in “Country Diddy”?

Portnoy's song references Combs in the chorus: “All these NDAs, you sound like a country diddy,” a reference to LaPaglia's claim that Bryan asked her and his former girlfriends to sign NDAs. Multiple lawsuits filed against Combs allege that he asked alleged victims to sign a nondisclosure agreement, and Danity Kane singer Aubrey O'Day also claimed that Combs asked her to sign a nondisclosure agreement, which she refused. Portnoy subsequently hurls many personal insults at Bryan, explicitly declaring, “I hate you with a passion, Zach, fiercely,” and adding, “No amount of bribery can silence me.” He calls the singer a “narcissist ” and manipulator, accusing Bryan of “mentally crying after abusing people” — a possible reference to Bryan saying he “struggled through some pretty bad things” this year after confirming his split from LaPaglia had. LaPaglia supported Portnoy's song on her Instagram Story, calling the dissident “deadly” and declaring, “Everyone needs a Dave.” “Country Diddy” comes less than a week after Portnoy released his first dissident track, “Smallest Man,” which is directed at Bryan. In the texts he is criticized as a “liar” and for joining dating apps immediately after the breakup. “You screwed up. / It’s about to get bloody / Post it on your Instagram story,” says Portnoy. The track was later removed from Spotify, which Portnoy said was because Warner Music Group represented both Richards and Bryan and claimed the label was behind the removal. “I will write 10,000 diss tracks, I will die in the dressing room,” Portnoy said in a video posted on social media, deciding to continue the feud. Bryan has not responded to either dissident track.

What did Bryan say about the breakup?

Bryan has not responded to the various allegations of emotional abuse that LaPaglia detailed on her podcast (Forbes has reached out to Bryan's management for comment). Following their split last month, Bryan posted an Instagram Story in which he confirmed the split and stated: “I respect and love her with all my heart.” He said he had “personally had an incredibly tough year and some pretty tough things “I thought it would be beneficial for both of us if we went different ways,” and urged people to respect their privacy. Bryan's post came shortly after LaPaglia addressed her breakup in her own Instagram Story post, saying she was feeling “blindsided” and was taking a break from social media. Without directly addressing LaPaglia's comments on her “BFFs Podcast,” Bryan has made several social media posts since the podcast aired, including sharing a picture of Jack Kerouac on his Instagram Story that included a caption from his novel “On the Road” included: “I didn’t know what to say. I wanted to cry. Damn, everyone in the world wants an explanation for your actions and your nature.” Bryan also released a song Thursday night called “High Road,” whose lyrics revolve around a failed relationship: “It'll definitely come back and haunt you forever /There are ghosts in the windows and walls/I've been waiting by the phone the whole time. “cking night/For someone that ain’t ever gonna call,” Bryan sings.

Important background

Bryan, one of country music's biggest stars, began dating LaPaglia in July 2023, two months after they met at the Academy of Country Music Awards. Bryan was previously married to Rose Madden, a woman he met while serving in the U.S. Navy, and dated Deb Peifer shortly before meeting LaPaglia. Bryan is best known for his self-titled No. 1 album, which he released last year and which includes the No. 1 hit and Grammy-winning single “I Remember Everything.”

Further reading

Zach Bryan Says 'I'm Not Perfect' As He Confirms Split From Brianna Chickenfry After Her Cryptic Message (People)

Dave Portnoy vows to 'die in the booth' after Zach Bryan dissident track removed (The Independent)

You may also like...