Becca Tilley.Photo: John Wolfsohn/Getty
Becca Tilleyis opening up about the evolution of her love life — and self-perception — since her days onThe Bachelor.
When America first got to know Tilley, 33, “My story line onThe Bachelorwas that I was a virgin,” she toldThe Cuton Friday. Since then, she’s had a few relationships in the spotlight, including dating formerBachelorettesuitorRobert Grahamand more recently debuting her relationship with musicianHayley Kiyokoin aplayful music videothis past May.
Referring to her 2016–2017 relationship with Graham, she said, “So when I was in my relationship before Hayley and all of a sudden I wasn’t a virgin anymore, I felt like,Did I let people down who looked up to me for that reason?”
Since joiningBachelorNation seven years ago, Tilley been mindful of how fans view her. Because she’d only been seen dating on television, that self-consciousness flared up when she got together with Kiyoko, 31.
Becca Tilley and Hayley Kiyoko.Charley Gallay/Getty
Tilley did quip, however, “These people were also rooting for me to get engaged in eight weeks. They may not have the best perspective in all cases.”
She added, “People were just rooting for me to find love. They just were rooting for my happiness.”
Hayley Kiyoko and Becca Tilley.Rich Fury/Getty
As timing would have it, Tilley also recently connected with another reality star who has also surprised fans with a new relationship:Selling Sunset’sChrishell Stause, who recently begandatingnon-binary musicianG Flip.
Before Tilley officially introduced America to Kiyoko as her girlfriend, she was happily doing so in one-on-one situations — though that was sometimes a source of confusion.
Tilley told The Cut about a time when she ran into Stause at a concert and said, “My girlfriend’s coming out.” Later in the night, Stause asked her, “So are you dating anybody?”
“That happensall the time,” Tilley said, noting that she and Kiyoko weren’t exactly subtle before they went public.
“I’d go visit her on tour, and I posted about it on Instagram,” Tilley recalled. “People just thought I was great friends with Hayley.Hugefan.”
A few weeks later, Stause revealed she, too, was actually in a romantic relationship with G Flip (whom she’d described as a “friend” at the concert), and the two couples got together for a double date.
Chrishell Stause and G Flip.Jeff Kravitz/Getty
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Tilley and Kiyoko first met at NYLON’S Annual Young Hollywood party in May 2018.
Months later, Tilley revealed she was in a relationship but said she was trying tokeep the budding romance private. She even referred to Kiyoko as “95p” on herScrubbing Inpodcasting, meaning this was the person she was 95 percent sure she’d marry.
In Friday’s conversation with The Cut, she explained that she was being very thoughtful about when and how she would introduce the relationship to the world. She wasn’t hiding — simply maintaining her privacy.
“It might be a fine line, butI don’t want anyone to think I was ashamed or embarrassed,” she said. “That was really important to me.”
source: people.com
