LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Kayla Nicole, the influencer and former model, recently opened up about her decision to step away from the public eye when it came to dating.
After a highly publicized five-year relationship with Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, Nicole chose to keep her romantic life private, a decision she reflected on during the debut of her podcast, ‘The Pre-Game,’ which aired Thursday, April 3.
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Kayla Nicole reflects on media scrutiny
Nicole, who had long been a fixture in the media spotlight due to her past relationship with Kelce, shared how dating under the scrutiny of the public eye reshaped her approach to love and relationships.
She explained that she now preferred to keep her personal life far from the spotlight.
I am like John Cena now with men — you don’t see me,” Kayla said when asked by a listener if dating someone in the public eye had altered how she dated.
She added, “You dont see me with a man and you won’t ever see me with a man until I’m married with kids.”
Although she didn’t name Kelce directly, tabloids and entertainment outlets frequently covered the couple’s on-and-off relationship, which lasted from 2017 to 2022.
The intense media attention, particularly during the rumors surrounding Kelce’s relationship with pop star Taylor Swift, had a significant emotional impact on Nicole, prompting her decision to keep future relationships private.
“I am out here hiding, dating and hiding, OK,” she added without revealing any names. “I am the queen of a private room, in a back room, in a corner closet and I have no shame in it.”
She went on to say, “I have no shame in it. And honestly, to each is own. But for me, I feel like it’s working right now and if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”
Kayla Nicole opens up about her decision to keep future relationships private
Nicole’s decision to embrace privacy came after reflecting on the emotional toll of her past experiences in the public eye.
She admitted that sharing too much of her personal life with the world opened her up to unnecessary pressure and criticism.
“I don’t think I ever want to publicly date another man until I am absolutely sure that they are my long-term person,” Kayla said. “Just because I want to protect the things that mean most to me.”
She continued, “And sometimes when you’re a little too open… and transparent, you open yourself up to a world of opinion a world of entitlement, people want answers.
“People think that you owe them an explanation about every single thing in your relationship. I just want to be able to love without the pressure,” Nicole concluded.
Kayla had previously discussed the emotional toll caused by the negative attention she faced when Kelce’s relationship with Swift became public.
