Timing is impeccable…
Grab your popcorn, open a beer, or pour yourself a glass of wine because this is the Super Bowl of country music drama. Suppose you’ve been paying attention to anything online other than the election. In that case, there is a high probability that you’ve seen a headline or two about the breakup between Zach Bryan and Brianna Chickenfry, a Barstool Sports personality.
Until yesterday, the breakup remained pretty civil, as ZB released a statement on his Instagram that they had parted ways. Brianna told fans she felt blindsided and stepped away from social media. Of course, there have been a few minor back-and-forths since, like ZB posting a few song previews seemingly inspired by the split and Brianna having a heyday with her friends with cupcakes that said “his loss.”
However, the gloves have come off since then as Brianna is spilling the tea on her Barstool podcast BFFs Podcast with Dave Portnoy and Josh Richards. To make things even better (or worse), Portnoy and Richards made a diss track, “Smallest Man,” which called out all the nefarious things that Bryan allegedly did during their breakup. Once the diss track was released, ZB’s label (which is ironically also Richards label) pulled the track because Josh is under contract with Warner and can’t release any music without them. Kind of hilarious, right? I mean, what are the odds… and to not remember that as you’re recording a diss track? Pure comedy.
To take the heat off him, get some feelings off, or maybe to just to keep himself busy, ZB shared that he was dropping a new track, “This World’s A Giant.” ZB then shared an Instagram post announcing another single coming later and an update to fans on how he spent his time in Oklahoma, which we later learn in the podcast, he left for before the two officially split.
“After not being home for a year and a half I drove out to my mothers gravestone in the dead of night a few days back on familiar Oklahoma roads and I came to realize just like in the past, that she never would call me again.
Told her I quit touring because 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 fingertips, every tear shed, told her about making it on the ‘Rolling Stone’ and most importantly told her about porch swinging with my beautiful sister.
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. I figured it was about time I released it. Thank you guys for listening to ‘This Worlds a Giant’ last night and thank you to all the people who love me; who have truly carried the weight with me.
Seems that all these Quiet Dreams have gotten much too heavy, but I’m home now, and I’ll hold you through the pain.
High Road is out today, and I appreciate all of you.”
Zach Bryan made another tactful move as Brianna’s tell-all is now airing live. He opted to drop his second single, “High Road,” fifteen minutes into the podcast premiering rather than a traditional midnight release.
I must admit that hearing Brianna’s side of the story, recalling the breakup from her perspective as I am reporting on this new single, has not only jaw-dropped me but also made me focus on separating the art from the artist.
After listening to “High Road,” it’s easy to piece together this is the track he previewed as “Motorbreath” after their breakup on Instagram, with the lyrics pointing towards a failed relationship. He says he wrote the chorus a few months back and finished it recently, but it feels as though it was inspired directly by his past relationship with Brianna Chickenfry. You wonder why we think this? Well, just take a look at the lyrics.
“Adderall and white lace bras will make you fall in love;
you left your blue jeans in my pickup truck;
New York this time of year ain’t good for me ’cause all my friends lack self-control and empathy.
Everyone’s telling me that I need help and therapy
But all I need is to be left at home
…
She’s bound to come back and haunt you forever
There’s ghosts in the windows and walls”
I waited by the telephone all f***ing night
For someone that ain’t ever gonna call…”
Regardless of what inspired the song, it’s honestly very well done. The production of this song compared to “This World’s A Giant” is very different. The quality is much higher, and it feels like it was cut in a proper studio compared to the raw and muddy sound of “This World’s A Giant.”
Take a listen. If you can hear it for what it is and remove the drama surrounding the song, it’s a solid ZB single.
