Rachael Kirkconnell ‘Obviously’ Listening to Taylor Swift Post-Breakup

The Bachelor alum Rachael Kirkconnell is listening to Taylor Swift on repeat following her breakup from Matt James.

Kirkconnell, 28, told Cosmopolitan in an interview published on Friday, February 7, that she had “obviously” been listening to Tortured Poets Department on repeat after she and James, 33, had called it quits in January after four years of dating.

“Yeah, anything Taylor right now is great,” Kirkconnell told the outlet. “I’ve been really loving Doechii. I haven’t been listening to podcasts, but someone I’ve really been obsessing over lately — and I think it’s just because her movie [One of Them Days] just came out — is Keke Palmer. Anything that she does or says, I’m sat. She takes my mood from ‘I’m not feeling it’ to ‘I can conquer the world.’”

The social media personality noted that while she doesn’t identify as a Swiftie, she still credits the pop icon with getting her through previous breakups. “I’m 28, and I was 10, I think, when her very first album came out,” she shared. “But I’m not out there looking for Easter eggs, even though I respect that. I just love the music.”

Kirkconnell added, “And as a woman, you just have to respect her. I’ve been there for every album and she got me through breakups when I was 12, 16, 24, and now 28. You have to be a fan when she’s there for you through all of that.”

As Valentine’s Day approaches, Kirkconnell is celebrating her newfound singledom. She shared a series of photos of her recent Valentine’s Day-themed activities, including a lavish night out with friends, via Instagram on Friday. “galentine’s ♥️🎂🌹🍸💋 xoxo!!!” she captioned the post.

Kirkconnell and James met in 2021 on season 25 of The Bachelor. At the time, James gave her the final rose, but they split after filming had wrapped. However, they reconnected one month after the show’s After the Final Rose special aired.

Kirkconnell told Cosmopolitan that there is no going back in terms of her relationship with James, saying that she is ready to close that chapter of her life for good. “There’s just no way I’m letting myself,” she said.

“It’s only been a few weeks, but I’m definitely in that phase of just, like, still trying to grasp everything and figure out a new normal. It’s easier said than done,” Kirkconnell explained. “Some days are easier than others, but I’m feeling OK. Breakups are normal; they happen to everyone.”

She added, “I think just the way it went down was really crazy for me to comprehend and still is. In a way, it almost makes it easier, you know? I think when something crazy like that happens, it’s something that you can almost replay in your head to get over it quicker, if that makes any sense.”