Brianna LaPaglia SaysSI SwimsuitCover Helped Her Take Back Control After Zach Bryan Split: 'It’s My Life, It’s My Body' (Exclusive)

Mar. 15, 2025

Brianna “Chickenfry” LaPagliais taking back the power in her life.Speaking exclusively to PEOPLE at Media Row in New Orleans, La., the 25-year-oldBFFspodcast host talks about herSports Illustrated Swimsuitcover in January. Though she noted the cover looked very “glamorous” and “sexy,” doing the shoot had a deeper meaning for her personally.“There was just a lot that happened in the past year where I didn’t feel like I was in control of my life and I let someone else [control my decisions],” she says. “So being able to be on that cover and show that it’s my life, it’s my body was a very powerful moment for me mentally.“Bri LaPaglia on the cover of Sports Illustrated.Katherine Goguen/Sports IllustratedIn her cover story, LaPaglia revealed thatshe turned downSports Illustrated’soffer to host the red carpetfor the magazine’s 60th-anniversary celebration because her boyfriend at the time Zach Bryan thought the magazine was too “trashy” for her brand.“It’s a lot more than me looking quote-unquote hot in a swimsuit — it’s me reclaiming who I am as a woman, reclaiming my body and my decisions and my choices,” LaPaglia told the outlet, noting it allowed her to send a message to Bryan post-breakup.“It is just, on a petty level, my favorite f— you,” she said. “This is me, and I wanted to do this, and now I’m on the digital cover.”Brianna LaPaglia for Sports Illustrated.Katherine Goguen/Sports IllustratedNever miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.After she and Bryan broke up back inOctober 2024, LaPaglia tells PEOPLE thatTaylor Swift’s music — specifically the song “My Tears Ricochet” — helped her heal and “changed my life.““The lyrics ‘I can go anywhere just not home’ has [best described] the way I felt over the past year,” she explains, joking she’s “one of the annoying Swiftiesnow.“Elsewhere in the interview, LaPaglia opens up about her future career endeavors including her hopes of getting “more into writing,” teasing a potential book that may be coming in 2026.In the meantime, she and herBFFspodcasthost Josh Richards will be expanding the podcast and plan to go on tour this year.As for her love life, LaPaglia is currently single at the moment but hinted that she was looking to have fun over Super Bowl weekend after being in “work mode.““A couple of my crushes are here so maybe I’ll run into them,” she playfully added.

Brianna “Chickenfry” LaPagliais taking back the power in her life.

Speaking exclusively to PEOPLE at Media Row in New Orleans, La., the 25-year-oldBFFspodcast host talks about herSports Illustrated Swimsuitcover in January. Though she noted the cover looked very “glamorous” and “sexy,” doing the shoot had a deeper meaning for her personally.

“There was just a lot that happened in the past year where I didn’t feel like I was in control of my life and I let someone else [control my decisions],” she says. “So being able to be on that cover and show that it’s my life, it’s my body was a very powerful moment for me mentally.”

Bri LaPaglia on the cover of Sports Illustrated.Katherine Goguen/Sports Illustrated

Katherine Goguen/Sports Illustrated

In her cover story, LaPaglia revealed thatshe turned downSports Illustrated’soffer to host the red carpetfor the magazine’s 60th-anniversary celebration because her boyfriend at the time Zach Bryan thought the magazine was too “trashy” for her brand.

“It’s a lot more than me looking quote-unquote hot in a swimsuit — it’s me reclaiming who I am as a woman, reclaiming my body and my decisions and my choices,” LaPaglia told the outlet, noting it allowed her to send a message to Bryan post-breakup.

“It is just, on a petty level, my favorite f— you,” she said. “This is me, and I wanted to do this, and now I’m on the digital cover.”

Brianna LaPaglia for Sports Illustrated.Katherine Goguen/Sports Illustrated

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

After she and Bryan broke up back inOctober 2024, LaPaglia tells PEOPLE thatTaylor Swift’s music — specifically the song “My Tears Ricochet” — helped her heal and “changed my life.”

“The lyrics ‘I can go anywhere just not home’ has [best described] the way I felt over the past year,” she explains, joking she’s “one of the annoying Swiftiesnow.”

Elsewhere in the interview, LaPaglia opens up about her future career endeavors including her hopes of getting “more into writing,” teasing a potential book that may be coming in 2026.

In the meantime, she and herBFFspodcasthost Josh Richards will be expanding the podcast and plan to go on tour this year.

As for her love life, LaPaglia is currently single at the moment but hinted that she was looking to have fun over Super Bowl weekend after being in “work mode.”

“A couple of my crushes are here so maybe I’ll run into them,” she playfully added.

source: people.com