Zach Bryan opens up about his sobriety journey and life changes

Country music star Zach Bryan has opened up about his journey to sobriety, revealing how a month-long motorcycle trip helped him recognise his struggles with alcohol. The singer, 30, said the experience forced him to confront his drinking habits and rethink his understanding of sobriety.

During a two-hour conversation with Matthew McConaughey, Bryan reflected on the personal challenges that led him to stop drinking. His comments come nearly a year after he publicly shared that he had given up alcohol.

Bryan admitted that he once viewed sobriety as something unnecessary, believing people should simply be able to control their drinking without giving it much thought.

“I always thought sobriety was a joke,” he explained, describing his earlier attitude towards people who chose not to drink.

The country singer said he struggled to understand why anyone would have difficulty controlling their alcohol consumption. At the time, he did not recognise that his own relationship with drinking had become a problem.

Looking back, Bryan acknowledged that his perspective changed significantly after he embarked on a motorcycle journey across the United States.

Motorcycle trip leads to a personal realisation

Bryan said he left New York after spending a night at a bar in the West Village. Inspired by his admiration for writer Jack Kerouac, he expected the journey to become a meaningful adventure that would help him discover more about himself.

He travelled through different locations, stopping at national parks and bars along the way. However, rather than finding the personal transformation he had imagined, he continued drinking throughout the trip.

The singer recalled visiting bars and drinking until he could fall asleep, gradually realising that his journey was not unfolding as he had hoped.

His perspective finally shifted while he was sitting in a truck stop parking lot in Seattle.

In that moment, Bryan began questioning why he was drinking and what he was trying to celebrate. He realised that he had spent 30 days searching for a significant emotional experience but had ended up feeling alone.

The experience became a turning point, encouraging him to examine his habits and consider how alcohol had been affecting his life.

Instead of continuing to ignore the problem, Bryan began recognising the importance of making a change.

Sobriety brings renewed creativity

Before giving up alcohol, Bryan worried that his songwriting abilities might suffer without drinking. Like many artists who associate creativity with particular habits or experiences, he was uncertain about how sobriety would affect his musical process.

However, the singer said his experience turned out to be very different from what he had expected.

Bryan explained that quitting alcohol had improved his relationship with music and allowed him to enjoy writing songs again.

He described feeling younger and more enthusiastic about his creative work, suggesting that sobriety had helped him reconnect with the excitement he experienced earlier in his career.

The country star also revealed that he wrote every song on his eight-track extended play, Young Manhood and Other Donatable Organs, while sober.

The project represents an important milestone in his personal and professional journey, demonstrating that he can continue developing his music without relying on alcohol.

Bryan added that his friends had noticed positive changes in his personality since he stopped drinking. According to the singer, they told him that he had become funnier.

However, he acknowledged that certain social occasions remain challenging, particularly weddings, where alcohol is often part of the celebrations.

Marriage and support during recovery

Bryan also discussed his relationship with Samantha Leonard, whom he met on a beach in Spain. The couple married shortly after he decided to embrace sobriety.

He recalled telling Leonard that he needed to stop drinking. According to Bryan, she decided to give up alcohol on the same day, offering support as he began adjusting to his new lifestyle.

Their shared decision marked another important moment in his journey, highlighting the role that personal relationships can play when someone is making a significant life change.

Bryan announced in November 2025 that he had been sober for two months, publicly acknowledging his progress.

His latest reflections offer a deeper look at the experiences that helped him recognise his drinking problem and find a different direction.

Through his journey, the singer has discovered that giving up alcohol does not have to mean sacrificing creativity or enjoyment. Instead, he says sobriety has allowed him to rediscover his passion for songwriting and approach life with a renewed sense of purpose.