Taking some shots at his former lover? Brianna Chickenfry and Zach Bryan’s very public breakup has been talked about nonstop since it all went down in the fall of 2024. Although Bryan is now happily married to Samanatha Leonard, as the two tied the knot in San Sebastian, Spain, on New Year’s Eve. Of course, Zach has never really spoke in depth on the messy breakup, but since the two called it quits, Brianna LaPaglia has been taking shots at her former lover, creating a multitude of headlines. While I am sure we are all familiar with the story by this point, just in case. There is someone who is lucky enough to have evaded all of this country music news. Let’s quickly recap. After the two split, Brianna did not shy away from sharing her story. She laid it all out for viewers of the BFFs Podcast to hear, sharing in a full exposé episode that ZB offered her an astonishing $12 MILLION (yes, you read that right—million!) to sign an NDA, how he freaked out on her for singing a Morgan Wallen song, and she detailed other toxic aspects of their relationship. Regardless of who did what, I think it’s self-evident that it was not a great relationship and they were not a good match. But Brianna has always maintained that she is telling the truth about her perspective and experiences with him, no matter what kind of backlash she got for sharing her side of the story and chiming in on viral moments long after the two split. She recently even mentioned “sexual trauma” from their relationship, saying how she avoided sex last year and how she’d like to get “f****** cracked” this year. Alright… While Zach Bryan never made any public statements about their relationship after the initial statement, the two were going their separate ways. It feels as though he’s doing what songwriters do and letting out all of his emotions lyrically on his sixth studio project, With Heaven on Top. Ahead of the record’s release, Bryan had shared a few unreleased songs after their split that felt like they were aiming at Brianna, like “Plastic Cigarette.” However, one tune that feels like he’s finally letting go and moving on from that chapter of his life is “Skin.” “Skin” feels pointed at the ink the two got for each other during their relationship. Brianna once shared that Bryan got a tattoo of her long before they started dating, and she later got inked his lyrics “how lucky are we” on her arm. In the tune, Bryan is saying that he’s ready ready to take a blade to his skin to remove any trace of her from his body: “I’m taking a blade to my old tattoos I’m draining the blood between me and you I’m taking a blade to my own skin And I ain’t never touching yours again Yeah, I ain’t never touching yours again…” In the second verse of the song, Bryan calls out that Brianna is not an innocent party in the downfall of their relationship, calling out that her moral high ground will sink one day. He also calls out that she talks badly about all her friends, perhaps referencing the fallout between her and her best friend, Grace O’Malley, which came crashing down shortly after the relationship ended as well. Bryan ends this verse owning his mistakes, noting that he’s working on himself, taking it all on the chin, stone-cold sober this go-round. “How do tattoos take to your skin? Is your higher ground ever sinking? Do you love people just to win when it’s over? How do tattoos take to your skin? Do you still talk sh*t on all your friends? I’m here to take it all to the chin This time stone cold sober” Say what you want about the drama between ZB and Brianna, but his lyrics ring true. Brianna has constantly had his name on her lips, and while what she’s sharing may be truths, there are always two sides to every story, and Bryan’s truths might hurt, too. Bryan addresses a lot of growth on this LP, and doesn’t shy away from his own shortcomings. He’s well aware that the flawed person we seem to always see in the public, and in the headlines, is the same flawed person that he sees in the mirror. Anyone shocked by some of Brianna’s allegations clearly doesn’t listen to his music. But it’s apparent that he’s ready to cut ties and move on fully from the drama surrounding his relationship with Brianna Chickenfry and raves about Samantha and the love they share with tender lyrics found on tracks like “Slicked Back” and “Runny Eggs.” It’s evident that this is Bryan’s way of addressing his wrongs and sharing how he will work to make his mistakes right as he continues to grow and mature. With Heaven on Top is an excellent body of work from the Oklahoma native, and it’s well worth listening to from top to bottom. But in the meantime, fire up “Skin” while you’re here: The post Zach Bryan Finally Fires Back At Ex-Girlfriend, Brianna LaPaglia, With Scathing New Song “Skin” first appeared on Whiskey Riff.