Brianna LaPaglia is down for digital dating.
The BFFs podcast co-host shared her opinion on dating apps and whether she’s interested in using them herself when speaking with PEOPLE exclusively on the red carpet at the 2025 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit launch party in New York City on Thursday, May 15.
“I would love to do an app!” LaPaglia, 25, tells PEOPLE exclusively of her optimistic approach to finding that special someone now that she’s in her single era, post-breakup from musician Zach Bryan in October 2024.
However, there’s one dating app in particular that she claims is giving her a hard time.
“Raya won’t let me on, which is crazy,” the Barstool personality says of the exclusive membership-based dating app infamously known for its selectivity. It is known for prioritizing celebrities, industry professionals and high-profile individuals.
The SI Swimsuit digital cover star has tried dating platforms outside of Raya, but don’t even get her started on why she’s no longer pursuing them as a method to look for love.
“All the other apps, everyone’s like, ‘What’s Dave Portnoy like in real life?’ so I’m like, ‘I can’t do this,’ ” she jokes of the Barstool Sports CEO, who was also her former co-host of the BFFs podcast alongside Josh Richards.
Ultimately, LaPaglia came to a conclusion on where she predicts she’ll find her true love.
“I think it’s going to happen in real life,” she says.
LaPaglia’s romantic search comes seven months after her split from Bryan, which she’s been vocal about how the relationship has impacted her emotionally and physically in the months that followed.
Now, she’s “in the era of discovering,” the content creator tells PEOPLE exclusively.
“I feel like I’m in that time zone where it’s like discover who you are, try new things and also leave a lot of negative things in the past,” she explains. “So I’m just trying to figure out who the hell I am — and it’s fun!”
Although her eyes are open for that special someone, LaPaglia is in no rush.
“I really genuinely enjoy being single,” she says. “I think there’s a lot of girls that can relate and a lot of guys that can relate that are relationship people. I was in a relationship since I was 16 until 25. Being single for the first time ever is frigging awesome.”
“I can order Taco Bell whenever!” LaPaglia adds. “I can do whatever I want to do. I can go out, I can hang out with my friends. It’s really fun. I feel like I’m figuring out who I am. Again, just like discovering who I am.”
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