Chase Rice Calls ‘The Bachelor’ Producers’ Decision ‘a Little Jacked Up’

The Bachelor franchise has a long history of romantic dates featuring musical guests, and this season is no different.

In a preview for next week’s episode, Bachelor Peter Weber takes contestant Victoria Fuller on a one-on-one date that includes a concert from country singer Chase Rice, only for Fuller to tell Weber that she and Rice previously dated. Videos and photos posted by Reality Steve show Fuller looking uncomfortable as Rice sang to the couple, and the singer admitted that he was not-so-pleasantly surprised by the situation as well.

Speaking to PopCulture.com, Rice explained that he had been in talks with the show to perform for over one year and that had no idea he would be involved in anything more than singing.

“I don’t know exactly what happened or why it happened,” he said. “I wish it wouldn’t have happened, but I understand it from their side of it. They’ve got to make TV and that’s the reason I don’t like reality TV. It’s pretty surprising that they brought me into that and I don’t think it’s a coincidence, but it’s either the reality TV gods, just some crazy coincidence or some producer did a really good job. Either way, I think it’s pretty weird they pulled me into that.”

“That’s a little jacked up they’re going to do that to me,” he added. “It was a pretty big surprise that wasn’t what I wanted.”

The 34-year-old added that he had gone on the show with the goal of promoting his music, including his current single “Lonely If You Are” and recent No. 1 hit “Eyes On You.”

“At the end of the day, if it brings it back to the music and if it brings people to my music, that’s what I want people to take away from it,” he said. “If the music’s good, it’ll always go back to that.”

Rice is aware that — pun intended — plenty of eyes will be on him after Monday’s episode, which is why he’s preparing to release new music.

“All that matters to me is that it turns back to the music,” he said. “We have an opportunity in front of us to have a lot of new people that maybe don’t know who I am, so let’s give them some music. Let’s throw that in their face and hopefully they enjoy it and hopefully they’ll listen to it and tell their friends. We keep rolling on and having a good time with these shows and this tour, and that’s what it’s all about for me.”

The Bachelor airs Mondays at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.

Photo Credit: Getty / Rich Fury/ACMA2019