Who Is Olivia Rodrigo's Ex-Boyfriend? All About Zack Bia

The "Vampire" singer dated the DJ for a few months in 2022

Olivia Rodrigo, Zack Bia
Photo: Arturo Holmes/Getty; Tommaso Boddi/WireImage

Here's what to know about Zack Bia.

The 27-year-old DJ and record label founder, whose full name is Zack Bialobos, has run in some famous circles over the years, but previously made headlines when he was romantically linked to Olivia Rodrigo in 2022.

Amid the 20-year-old singer's Sour Tour, the two were spotted hanging out in N.Y.C. together in April 2022 ahead of her Radio City Music Hall concert.

PEOPLE later confirmed their romance in June, with a source saying, "They've been dating since the Super Bowl. They really like each other." However, their relationship eventually fizzled out as several outlets reported their breakup in August 2022.

Most recently, Rodrigo debuted her new music era with her sophomore album, Guts, which she teased was predominantly written when she was 19, a year “filled with lots of confusion, mistakes, awkwardness & good old fashioned teen angst.”

From his New York upbringing to his famous friends, here's everything to know about Zack Bia.

He runs in some famous circles

Zack Bia and Drake
Zack Bia/Instagram

One look at Bia's Instagram account and you'll notice a handful of familiar faces, including Luka Sabbat, The Weeknd, and Doja Cat. He's particularly close to Drake, who he considers his "big brother," per his interview with GQ.

The two first posted a photo together in 2017, and since then, Bia has made many appearances with the rapper, including cameoing in his music video for "Money in the Grave" and getting name-dropped in Drake's verse on French Montana's "No Stylist."

He's been romantically linked to some big names

Zack Bia and Madison Beer attend The Mod Sèlection Champagne New Years Party
Vivien Killilea/Getty

In addition to being friends with stars including Drake and Sabbat, Bia has also been romantically connected to some big names. Before sparking romance rumors with Olivia Rodrigo, he dated singer Madison Beer for a year before splitting in 2019.

In December 2021, he was linked to Outer Banks star Madelyn Cline, following her split from Chase Stokes, as they dined out in Santa Monica, Calif. However, Bia eventually shut down dating rumors, saying they were just hanging out.

"It is one of those things where we really enjoy hanging out and enjoy going to dinner. But we never officially started dating and probably will never officially stop because we are just hanging out," he said episode of the BFFs With Dave Portnoy and Josh Richards podcast. "We are enjoying it and not even thinking about what it is."

He's a native New Yorker

Zack Bia/Instagram
Zack Bia/Instagram

Bia was born in New York on June 9, 1996. His parents split when he was 9 and he eventually moved to L.A. after his mom got a job there. "My formative years were spent in L.A., but I have this New York foundation, and I think it's the best thing that could have ever happened," he told Complex.

Though there has been a lot of speculation surrounding Bia's upbringing (with one rumor circulating that his father has an executive role at Dior) he set the record straight during his interview with Complex.

"Anytime I do anything cool or accomplish something, it will always get knocked as, like, 'Of course he was able to do this, his dad does this,'" he told the publication about the chatter.

"But the reason I haven't even really talked about my dad is because I have such a bad relationship with him that I didn't want to even talk about him. My dad is a photographer. I don't even really know where he lives."

He went to USC

Zack Bia

After attending Beverly Hills High School, Bia did a year of community college before transferring to the University of Southern California as a sophomore. He attended the school for another year before dropping out his junior year to pursue a career in the entertainment industry.

He got his start in the entertainment industry after a chance encounter with Fetty Wap

Zack Bia DJs at 'HOMECOMING WEEKEND'
Vivien Killilea/Getty

Bia first broke into the entertainment industry when he had a chance encounter with Fetty Wap at a nightclub on his 19th birthday.

That night, a promoter asked for his number, assuming he was part of Fetty Wap's crew, and from there the rest was history. Before long he was getting paid $100 a week to promote the club.

He eventually caught the attention of H.Wood Group founder John Terzian, who enlisted Bia to help with his big events. As an employee of the L.A. hospitality and lifestyle company, Bia began throwing parties and hosting dinners, leading to many of his celebrity connections.

He has his own record label

Zack Bia attends the Spotify Best New Artist Brunch
Ethan Miller/Getty

In early 2020, Bia embarked on another business endeavor: founding his own record label Field Trip Recordings. He told Complex that the label felt like a natural fit after he was continuously discovering new artists and making connections at his various parties.

"We were always behind the scenes, helping records get made out of a love for it," he told the publication. "I started becoming a guy who was throwing parties that became a safe space for artists to come and be themselves, test out new music, meet other artists, and meet new cool people. That turned into artists being like, 'Let me pick your brain on this. What do you think of this brand? What do you think of this new artist? Come to the studio.' We started having this really intimate relationship with a ton of artists. And we were like, 'Wait, we can do this with our own artists.' That's when we started the company."

He was first linked to Olivia Rodrigo during the 2022 Super Bowl

Olivia Rodrigo, Zack Bia
Arturo Holmes/Getty; Tommaso Boddi/WireImage

After sparking romance rumors with their various outings, PEOPLE confirmed Rodrigo and Bia's relationship in June 2022, with a source noting, "they've been dating since the Super Bowl" in February 2022. However, the couple was said to have called things off by August 2022.

Almost a year later, Rodrigo briefly opened up about her past romantic relationships during an interview with The New York Times, explaining how they helped to inform her sophomore album GUTS.

“I had such a desire to live and experience things and make mistakes and grow after SOUR came out, I kind of felt this pressure to be this girl that I thought everyone expected me to be,” the pop-rock artist told The New York Times. “And I think because of that pressure, maybe I did things that maybe I shouldn’t have — dated people that I shouldn’t have.”

She noted, “I’m very tame,” but explained how those relationships were learning experiences that inspired songs and themes on her new record, including her lead single "Vampire," which details how an ex took advantage of her and exploited her celebrity.  

“I think the song isn’t about fame f---ing or whatever, I think it’s more about someone being manipulative and sucking you dry, using you for all your worth,” she said during an interview with Audacy’s The Julia Show. “I think that that’s a universal theme, and I also think fame is more easily accessible now than it has ever been. It’s not just people in L.A. and Hollywood that have to deal with that.”

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