Zac Brown engaged to Kendra Scott as Nashville divorce saga grows meatier and more public

Zac Brown announced his engagement to Kendra Scott in May 2025, two months after the couple publicly revealed their relationship on the red carpet at the American Music Awards. The news immediately thrust the Nashville-born country star and the southern jewelry designer into a highly scrutinized spotlight, with insiders describing the developing romance against a backdrop of a bitter, highly publicized split that has roped in lawyers, critics, and a circle of friends watching closely.

Brown remains married to his estranged wife, Kelly Yazdi, a Hawaii-based actress known for appearances on television such as Hawaii Five-0. The couple began dating in 2022 and married in August 2023, but Brown filed for separation four months into the union. Court filings and public statements shortly thereafter showed a dramatic clash over privacy, finances, and the trajectory of Brown’s public image. Yazdi, who has been outspoken about the end of the marriage, has used social media to defend herself and to challenge characterizations of the divorce, including a series of posts that critics described as a direct response to Brown’s unfolding personal narrative. An insider told the Daily Mail that Brown believes “three is a charm” and that he intends for Kendra Scott to be the love of his life, a claim that underscored the tension between personal reinvention and public perception as Brown navigates a high-profile split and a new engagement.

The separation and divorce proceedings quickly expanded beyond the couple’s private lives. Brown filed for separation shortly after their marriage, and Yazdi responded with public statements and court filings that highlighted disputes over employment, personal property, and how their separation would be presented to the world. The dispute drew in elements of entertainment drama, with Yazdi referencing the coercive power of celebrity-driven litigation and Brown’s ability to steer a narrative through media channels. In one notable court filing, Yazdi described how she felt pressured into litigation and argued that her side deserved to tell her truth in court, challenging the idea that wealth and fame shielded her from the consequences of the split. The exchange also touched on a controversial music video and public imagery that some interpreted as a reflection on the pending divorce, though the parties did not single out individuals by name in those public posts.

As the legal process unfolded, the parties moved beyond the initial filings into a broader set of disputes. In July, Yazdi posted about comments from critics and asserted that Brown had used the PR machine to cast her in a negative light while she defended herself against what she called a circus. The case progressed to a non-jury trial in Atlanta, which opened mid-September with Brown facing additional lawsuits accusing Yazdi of violating an employment agreement with his company and engaging in corporate espionage. By the last day of the trial, Sept. 18, Yazdi said she had not received payment under a prenuptial agreement, and she explained that her salary ended when she was terminated from her executive role with Brown’s collective.

The dispute has also raised questions about the couple’s circle and how people in the Nashville scene view the situation. While Scott has largely stayed quiet publicly, she has offered through social media a steady stream of inspirational messages, emphasizing empowerment and faith. The timing of Brown’s new engagement has not dampened a sense from some insiders that the country star remains focused on his career and on what he describes as an ongoing effort to deliver hits for himself and for other artists in Nashville’s competitive landscape. A source close to Brown said the performer is determined to keep his attention on the music while avoiding an entangled public feud that could threaten his professional momentum.

Brown has acknowledged the financial and artistic pressures facing a star who has built a long-running brand around relatable storytelling, catchy hooks, and vivid vignettes of Southern life. The Las Vegas residency at the Sphere, announced for December, looms large on the calendar, with Brown candid about the financial and logistical challenges of staging such a show. An insider told the Daily Mail that Brown is proceeding with the residency while trying to balance the drama offstage, arguing that the best path forward is to focus on creating music that resonates with fans rather than allowing the dispute to derail his career path. Brown has also discussed his family life openly, noting that he shares five children with his ex-wife Shelly Brown, while Scott has two adult sons from her previous marriage and a younger son with another ex, Matt Davis. The insider said Brown views his past marriage and its lessons as a guide for shaping what he hopes will be a stable, long-term union with Scott if the relationship progresses to marriage.

Legal analysts familiar with celebrity divorces say the case could hinge on elements of prenuptial agreements, employment arrangements, and how assets and trusts are addressed in the broader split. While the Daily Mail has sought comment from Yazdi, there has been no formal public response from Scott beyond her measured social-media presence, which focuses on resilience and purpose. For now, Nashville watchers are left to parse a torrent of public statements, court documents, social media posts, and the couple’s visible moments together—moments that have fed a narrative of collision between love, money, celebrity, and loyalty in a city that thrives on storytelling. As the case moves toward potential rulings later in the year, the music industry and Brown’s fan base will be watching closely to see how this evolving chapter affects the artist’s personal life and his professional trajectory.