Zach Bryan issues apology after ‘drunken’ tweet about Taylor Swift and Kanye West lands him in hot water

NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: Country music sensation Zach Bryan is in a stormy sea of controversy after a late-night tweet comparing Taylor Swift unfavorably to Ye, the rapper formerly known as Kanye West.

On the night of September 17, Bryan posted on X (formerly Twitter), writing, "Eagles > chiefs, Kanye > Taylor, who’s with me," a statement that not only took a jab at Swift but also the Kansas City Chiefs—whose star tight end, Travis Kelce, is Swift's boyfriend.

The tweet has since been deleted, and Bryan deactivated his X account altogether.

Zach Bryan goes on damage-control mode

Before going silent on X, Zach Bryan attempted to salvage his reputation, sharing a hasty apology: "Guys I love Taylor, was listening to TTPD ['The Tortured Poets Department'] last night and 'thank you aimee' came on and I drunkenly tweeted that about Kanye. If anyone took it serious please know I love both artists a lot and think we’re in a really beautiful time of music."

The song Bryan referred to, 'Thank You Aimee,' is rumored to be a diss track aimed at Ye’s ex-wife, Kim Kardashian.

The track has gained notoriety for its biting lyrics, including one line that many believe references Kardashian and her daughter North West: "One day, your kid comes home singin' a song that only us two is gonna know is about you."

Kardashian and North have even posted videos featuring Swift's music, fueling the long-standing feud between Swift and Ye.

Though Bryan retreated from X, he quickly turned to Instagram to continue his attempts at damage control.

In a series of four Instagram Story posts early on September 19, he apologized to Swift and her fanbase, stating that he was "drunkenly comparing two records and it came out wrong".

"For the record guys I wasn’t coming for Taylor the other night. I was drunkenly comparing two records and it came out wrong. I know there’s a lot of stuff that clouds around Ye and I was speaking purely musically," Bryan wrote in his first post. 

He added, "I love Taylor's music and pray you guys know I'm human and tweet stupid things often. Twitter gets me in trouble too much and I'd say it's best I stay off it. I'm sorry to any Taylor fans I pissed off or let down. Love you guys and I'm trying my best!"

Zach Bryan shares Taylor Swift's 'Castles Crumbling' song in emotional apology

Zach Bryan's apology didn’t stop there.

In a second post on Instagram, he acknowledged he had been going through personal struggles, saying, "I’ve been going through a hard time in my own life and I think I was projecting a little."

"To be completely honest, it just came off as rude and desensitized to Taylor. I respect her so much as a musician that the last thing I want is people thinking I don’t appreciate and love what she has done."

In a third post, Bryan sought to mend fences by praising Swift's enduring influence, writing, "Taylor has been a force of nature for as long as we've all been growing up and I admire that."

He shared an image of Swift’s song 'Castles Crumbling' alongside his post, adding, "I never want people to think I have a hint of malice or meanness towards anyone."

To cap off his Instagram confessions, Bryan expressed his exhaustion and desire to step back from social media for a while.

"This year has been an awful lot on me in personal ways that no one knows," he wrote, before announcing his intent to "take a breather from tweeting stupid stuff, finish my tour, and ground myself".

Accodring to NBC News, Bryan’s apology comes amid a battle between the two stars on the charts. Swift’s 'The Tortured Poets Department' is currently at No 5 on the Billboard 200, while Bryan’s album 'The Great American Bar Scene' sits at No 7.

With both artists dominating the music scene, the brief social media spat has only intensified the spotlight on their work.

Internet reacts to Zach Bryan's apology after viral tweet

Zach Bryan’s recent apology and follow-up tweet didn't go over well with Taylor Swift's devoted fanbase. Many felt his comments were his attempt to backtrack only came after the backlash hit hard.

One viewer expressed, "He literally was coming for Taylor, that’s why he deactivated his account after. He was scared of the swifties and rightfully so."

Another viewer shared, "I think he tried to be edgy and different and it backfired."

A user pointed out, "He shouldn't have posted that in the first place... Apology denied."

A follower observed, "He’s only backtracking bc he received hate, please get him for me again."

One comment stated, "Why do you make such mistakes that you have to apologize later?"

Another comment read, "Trying to play the victim card after tweeting dumb s**t."

"Never mess with Taylor Swift," warned an individual.

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