If you’ve been here a minute, you already know I love a good Bachelor Nation bio, and with Season 25 of The Bachelor premiering right around the corner on ABC, I’ve been doing my research into the women vying for Matt James’s heart. In just a few days, we’ll see the start of his ~journey~ to find The One as he meets 32 gorgeous gals from all over the globe (OK, so it’s still mainly just the States, but there are two Canadian girls and even one woman from Ethiopia!). And while we’re all still getting to know Matt, a newcomer to the franchise and a relative unknown to any viewers who aren’t bonafide #Tannah stans, I've got the girls’ introductions in their own words.
Ready to find out all of their deepest fears, strangest deal breakers and most elaborate first date fantasies for these reality TV stars? Let’s dive in.
Abigail, 25
Abigail is a client financial manager from Beaverton, Ore., and she’d like to make it clear right off the bat she’s from the Pacific Northwest — not just by explicitly saying so, but also by calling herself a “beautiful soul” who enjoys a “cold local microbrew” more than just about anything else. Add in the fact that she loves being outdoors, spending time with her family, and introduces herself to men by “accidentally bumping into them” and you’ve got yourself a perfectly wholesome PNW princess. Don’t worry, though. She does have some pop culture indulgences, like her taste for Calvin Harris “because his beats slap.”
Alana, 26
Alana is a photographer from Toronto in Ontario, Canada. Or, as it turns out, she’s not actually from Toronto. After swerving away from the “traditional college path,” she explored her creative side and “desire for adventure” by spending her first few years as an adult in Europe, and she only recently moved to Toronto on a whim. So where is she from exactly? For some reason, her bio doesn’t say, which just leads me to believe that she may be the kind of mysterious reality TV contestant who has a Big Secret she must Dramatically Reveal when the time is right. Or maybe she’s just from, like, Ohio. I don’t know. She also calls herself the “queen of puns,” so you can bet she’s going to deliver a limo entrance line that has us groaning out loud.
Alicia, 24
Alicia is a professional ballerina from New York City. While she knows what she wants in life professionally — and had been working towards her goal since she was 13 — her love life is another story. “Unlucky” in love in the past, she’s looking for a man who can treat her right by ditching the cheesy pickup lines and focusing instead on the gourmet cheeses. Apparently, her “ultimate” date includes boats, champagne, shopping and charcuteries boards. That, uh, sounds kind of like a lot to ask out of one day if you’re not dating someone who is super rich, but it also sounds like a regular day in the Bachelor mansion, so maybe she’ll get her wish?
Amber, 30
Amber is a nursing student from Costa Mesa, Calif. A single mother with a 13-year-old son, she’s ready to get back in the dating game, and she says Bachelor Matt is exactly her physical type (and she said it in all caps and with an exclamation point, so you know she’s not fucking around). So far, her life experiences include running away from a mountain lion in Joshua Tree and raising a teenager, so you know she won’t scare easily when it comes to a little competition, something I think will pair well with describing herself as “stubborn and a bit impatient.” I sense some drama waiting to happen. Also, her ideal life includes traveling the world, living on a big ranch and also taking care of beluga whales. Dream big, girl.
Anna, 24
Anna is a copywriter from Chicago who calls herself a “small-town girl living the big city life.” Nicknamed Hollywood at a young age, it seems like she always knew she was destined to leave her tiny Minnesota home town in the dust, which makes her sound like a Hallmark Christmas movie protagonist who has yet to get stuck back home for the holidays where she will meet and fall in love with someone she overlooked in high school. Which is convenient since apparently she “dreams of writing screenplays for Hallmark movies.” I swear I didn’t read that sentence before jumping to that conclusion. She’s also a Gemini who is “TERRIFIED of fish and OBSESSED with cheese,” and I am both terrified and obsessed with the capitalization going on there.
Bri, 24
Bri is a communications manager from San Francisco, and I am both terrified and in awe of her already. I tend to assume that the bios at least borrow heavily from how the contestants describe themselves, which is why the fact that Bri’s bio says she is “really something special” and “very proud of her achievements, as she should be” gives me extremely eyes emoji vibes. Despite that — and the fact that she calls herself someone who has “always outworked everyone around her” and “always the alpha” in her relationships — she also says she is “very laid-back.” Phew!
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Carolyn, 30
Carolyn is a journalist from Los Angeles who is looking for a man who can meet her on her “fiercely independent” level. Used to taking care of her boyfriends in the past, she wants to be treated for a change, but she also wants someone who won’t let her walk all over them. (Does anyone else get alarm bells when people say they need a partner who isn’t afraid to call them out? Like, yes, nobody should be afraid to call their partner out, but should she maybe examine the fact that all of her past partners apparently didn’t feel comfortable doing so? Anyway.) Her dream date includes spontaneous travel, which would make her perfect for The Bachelor on any other season but this one, but she still might be compatible with Matt. She wants someone who is “passionate about philanthropy,” and Matt’s ABC Food Tours nonprofit is one of the main things he’s made sure fans know about him.
Casandra, 25
Casandra is a social worker from Newport Beach, Calif. Now that she has her master’s degree, she’s ready to shift her focus purely from her professional life to her personal life, too. She seems like a genuinely sweet girl who may or may not be eaten alive by the other contestants, but her background in therapy may just give her the skill set she needs to get through this (and the fact that she disclosed that she “hates it when people eat food off her plate” hints she just may have a vicious side). As far as her dating past goes, she says guys “like the fact that they can take her anywhere and don't have to worry about entertaining her,” which is great! But, also, like… Casandra, you deserve better.
Chelsea, 28
Chelsea is a runway model from Brooklyn, N.Y. who shares my name and love of popcorn and hot Cheetos and is therefore near and dear to my heart. That aside, she has distanced herself from me by being both a legit model and also someone who wants to swim with stingrays. I tried that once and it was very scary. This is a braver Chelsea than I am!!!! She has also put her bravery to work in her romantic life after she felt she had outgrown her partner of five years, and she’s since dated around to find out more about what she wants in a man, and she’s hopeful that Matt might just live up to her expectations.
Corrinne, 22
Corrinne is a marketing manager from Pomfret, Conn. whose basic biographical details already have us remembering another early-20 something Corinne who thrived on this show. Like she-of-the-legendary-platinum-vagine, this Corrinne is also working for the family business, loves going to the beach, and wants a man to “match her unwavering loyalty.” Unlike the other Corinne, she says she’s ready to leave the nightlife and partying behind in favor of settling down (but only after she lives in New York City for a few years), and presumably wants someone who loves DisneyWorld as much as she does (a lot) and has the sort of adventurous spirit that also might have one time compelled them to sneak into an “abandoned insane asylum” in the middle of the night. Lots to unpack there!
Emani, 25
Emani is a realtor from Albuquerque, N.M. who says she’s loving without being “lovey-dovey.” None of that ooey-gooey corny stuff for this chick, and she’s also clearly not about to play into any kind of Amy Dunne-inspired “Cool Girl” persona. She says she’ll happily make you dinner to show her love, but she’s not about to join you at a baseball game too. Additionally, thinks she’s already “pretty cool” as is, and she wouldn’t rather be anyone else, not even for a day. The kind of girl who both describes herself as “goofy” and someone most at home at a “sophisticated jazz bar,” she’s clearly got some layers to her, and you can start peeling them back just as soon as she confirms that her family members are fans.
Illeana, 25
Illeana is a health food developer from New York City, which apparently she co-developed a “nutritional snack” called “Funky Munky Energy,” a company whose Instagram page has two posts and claims it is coming in 2021 — you know, just in time for her reality TV debut. How convenient! But no matter the fact that her company currently only has 78 Instagram followers. Instead, she wants you to know that her past four-and-a-half year relationship prepared her to know what she wants next, and she’s ready to settle down with someone who is also a bigger fan of “pondering life’s unsolvable mysteries” than they are of bar hopping. A former member of a synchronized ice-skating team and the owner of a cat trained to use the toilet, she knows all about discipline except, apparently, when it comes to snacking. She’s also the “perfect mix of beauty and brains.”
Jessenia, 27
Jessenia is a social media marketer from San Antonio — and, wouldn’t you know it, she has not only brains and beauty, but also “an infectious personality” that makes her the “total package.” Take that, Illeana. “After recently ending her most recent relationship,” she would like you to know that approximately no time has passed in which she has been forced to reckon with who she is as a single woman. But that’s fine! She already knows what she wants, which is someone who is not on their phone all the time and is ready to become a dog dad to her three pups. She’s all about travel, but she loves a good “staycation,” too, which is good because that’s the most she’ll be getting on Season 25.
Kaili, 26
Kaili is a hostess from Chicago who clearly has familiarized herself with all the different love languages. According to her, her favorites are quality time, acts of service, and words of affirmation. But while she is serious about love, she says she’s pretty silly in general. Not afraid to laugh at herself, she’s happy to share that she pulled a total Lizzie McGuire back in the day when she fell on stage getting her diploma at her high school graduation. Like Matt, she also loves a daily run, and if she can get him to commit to heading out at sunset instead of in the morning then they just might be a match made in heaven.
Katie, 29
Katie is a bank manager from Renton, Wash., who is “done wasting her time on boys.” She’s ready for a man and promises to be the best partner anyone could ask for just as soon as she finds someone who is worthy of all that effort. Her standards are high, and she needs someone who is going to ditch the video games, pour their all into their personal and professional life and never try to kiss her at the wrong moment (this is her biggest turn off). She’s also the kind of person who has “planned a dog flash mob that got a huge turnout,” and I’m definitely going to need more details about that one.
Khaylah, 28
Khaylah is a healthcare advocate from Durham, N.C. A “unique soul,” she says it’s important to her to give back to other people, and in the past that’s meant overcommitting to her career. Now, she’s looking for a little more balance in her life as she seeks someone who likes contributing to their community as much as she does. A possible saint who loves Rihanna, her only flaw (if you can call it that) is that she “only likes camping if she is glamping.” Should I start the countdown now to the show making her sleep outside on some sort of emotional one-on-one date with Matt?
Kimberly, 28
Kimberly is an airline recruiter from Seattle who “radiates joy and happiness everywhere she goes” and would have no problem spontaneously starting over in a new town at a moment’s notice (like, say, if Matt got down on one knee at the end of ~this process~ and asked her to come home with him immediately). However, she’s also not about to sacrifice what she wants in a relationship either. While she’s “a carefree soul,” she is “not afraid to step away” when she’s not getting what she wants and needs in a relationship. Those wants and needs including her man not having a cat, a foot fetish, or taking her to a cemetery. No, I did not make any of those up. Yes, she really included all of that in her bio. Also she likes Moana. She’s well-rounded!
Kit, 21
Kit is a fashion entrepreneur from New York City and the youngest contestant on this season, so you can bet that’s going to be a plot line. A “true born-and-raised New Yorker,” she would like to set herself apart from all of the transplants who move to the Big Apple and make it clear that not only did she grow up there and go to college there, she is actually still going to college there and has not yet graduated from NYU. Did she take a leave of absence to come on this show????? Was she taking advantage of remote schooling during the pandemic and simply doing her classes from the new Bachelor Mansion? Will we see her on Zoom in the background of group dates? Kit is not currently sharing answers to any of these questions, but she does want you to know that she is “very ready for a serious commitment” and needs someone who can hang with her “in the New York social scene.” Also, any man she dates can’t wear flip-flops. I wonder how she’ll take to Matt’s sweatsuit aesthetic.
Kristin, 27
Kristin is an attorney from Virginia Beach, Va. who promises she is “truly wifey material.” She’s got a serious career, an incredible work ethic, and no desire to have any personal space when it comes to her man. She wants to be Matt’s biggest cheerleader, and she wants him to be hers, too. While pink roses are more to her taste then red, she’s happy to make an exception for the Bachelor, but one thing that is non negotiable for her is sharing food without a legally binding contract in place dictating the terms (OK, technically she only said “unless both parties have previously agreed to it,” but that legal language has us on alert, and it should have Matt on alert, too).
Lauren, 29
Lauren is a corporate attorney from Miami who loves doing homework so much that she has had “law reviews published” and also joined a book club with her friends. A woman with “everything going for her,” she wants to find someone who can be both her romantic partner and her best friend — oh, and the father to her future children. Not wanting kids is a total dealbreaker for her, so we’ll have to see where Matt stands on that. She’d also like to add that she is “terrified of lizards and frogs,” so don’t be surprised if she’s positioned as the Meredith Blake on Khaylah’s camping date with the Bachelor.
Magi, 32
Magi is a pharmacist (and part-time model and head of a nonprofit that sends shoes back to girls in her hometown) from Adwa, Ethiopia, who says moving to the United States was the “scariest thing she has ever done.” Admitting that she is often someone dubbed “too nice,” she seems at risk of being eaten alive by the other girls in the house, but she’s not about to let that scare her. In fact, she believes her kindness is her “biggest strength and knows there is power and resilience behind it.” So that’s encouraging! As someone who comes from a background where arranged marriage is common, she’s excited to show that “everyone deserves to choose who they love” by going on a show where producers have arranged for her to meet one and only one man.
Mari, 24
Mari is a marketing director from Odenton, Md. who moved to the state from Puerto Rico as a teen. A pageant queen in the grand tradition of past Bachelor contestants, she won the title of Miss Maryland USA in 2019 and placed in the top 10 at the competition. Ready to find the love of her life, she’s committing to showering them in attention with home-cooked meals, small surprises and massages. Good for her! She’s also hopeful that she’ll one day get the chance to visit an elephant sanctuary in Thailand, and if she plays her cards right, she just might get the chance by pulling a Nick Viall/Becca Tilley/Amber James by heading back for round two with a new lead on a later season once international travel has been reintegrated into the show.
Marylynn, 28
Marylynn is an event coordinator from Studio City, Calif. whose five year plan includes being married with “two or more rescue dogs.” Hear that, Matt? The clock is ticking. Her commitment to saving the planet doesn’t begin and end with saving pups one by one, however. She also wants to one day start multiple companies focused on promoting environmental welfare and healthy lifestyle choices and dreams of founding a nonprofit that aims to eradicate single-use plastic. She hasn’t met her soulmate yet, but she knows he’s not “lazy, introverted or someone who doesn’t prioritize their health and hygiene,” which seems like as a good place as any to start.
MJ, 23
MJ is a hair stylist from Hudson, Ohio. A “beauty expert” who hopes to make the world “a more beautiful place” (presumably not just through fierce haircuts, although that’s all she really mentions), she’s looking for a man who encourages her independence while still showering her with love. She doesn’t want to add “unnecessary drama to her life” and “has no interest in someone with an inflated ego or unrealistic expectations,” which is why she’s chosen to compete tooth and nail against 31 other women for a man they’ve all built up to be the perfect husband in their heads.
Pieper, 23
Pieper is a graduate student from Happy Valley, Ore., and she is — surprise! — also the “total package.” With her master’s degree in marketing, she’s presumably even more ready than the rest of these girls to kick off her reality-TV-star-turned-influencer career. As a lover of European cars and someone who hopes to one day own a Rolls Royce, you can expect her to make quite the entrance when she rolls up to the new Bachelor Mansion. When it comes to dates, though, she plans to keep it classy. No picnics for this chick. The idea of sitting on the ground and eating “is not appealing to her.” Noted.
Rachael, 24
Rachael is a graphic designer from Cumming, Ga. who describes herself as a “southern sweetheart.” Hand in hand with that is the fact that she’s a total romantic, and her dream date includes a good movie, good wine, and a loaded charcuterie board. She’s looking for someone that loves her more than they love themselves and also wants to live a spontaneous life that they can tell their kids all about some day. “Neat with organization and cleanliness” but “messy with plans and [a] schedule,” she’s all about that ordered chaos. Oh, and she hates slow drivers. That’s important to know for some reason.
Saneh, 25
Saneh is an IT consultant from Denver with a “contagious zest for life.” She’s run marathons, owned pet parrots, gone swimming with sharks in South Africa and been inducted into the University of Florida Hall of Fame for outstanding leadership, service and academic achievement. That’s quite the resume! After her last serious relationship, she feels like she knows what she’s looking for — and it definitely sounds like she’s got enough varied life experiences to start narrowing things down. As long as she finds someone down for an outdoor adventure, she’s in. Also, she hates people who don’t return their grocery cart at the store, so you know she’s got her priorities in the right place.
Sarah, 24
Sarah is a broadcast journalist from San Diego, and she’s looking for her “fairytale ending.” For her, Prince Charming looks like someone who prioritizes his fitness and health, seeks adventure, is as committed to their faith as she is and strives to one day be half of a power couple in the same way she does. She’s not your typical princess, though. She is a trained fire dancer, which I hope we get to see this season (it certainly would make a flashy limo entrance), and she idolizes Oprah Winfrey.
Serena C., 24
Serena C. is a flight attendant from San Francisco who has used her time in quarantine to really think about what she wants in her life. Apparently, the answer she came up with is Matt James, who she thinks just might match her list of desired qualities she’s looking for in a man: charisma, good character, and someone with whom “she can have a strong physical connection” (which is a fancy way of saying hot). Her dream date is a fancy night out, watching the sunset with champagne, and sharing a “thought-provoking conversation,” which she just might get but we’ll only see the parts where they talk about if they’re ready for marriage. A free spirit who is looking for a bird of the same feather, she wants Matt to be the man with whom she can spend the rest of her life drinking bottomless mimosas and eating chicken wings.
Serena P., 22
Serena P. is a publicist from Toronto in Ontario, Canada. She knows she’s on the younger side for this show (and that younger contestants can often get some shit for that), so she’s preempted the conversation by insisting that age doesn’t matter and “when you know, you know.” In the past, however, she hasn’t prioritized romance, but she’s ready to get serious now. Unlike Kristin, she thinks sharing food in a relationship is a MUST, no questions asked. I would love to see this somehow become drama between these two. This is the two-on-one I need. The fact that she calls herself “chronically hangry” only fuels my cravings for this reality TV confrontation.
Sydney, 28
Sydney is a marketing specialist from Nashville, Tenn. who is a “strong, opinionated woman.” Some of those opinions? Twilight is good. Amusement parks are creepy. Avocado toast does not belong on her plate. Cry about it, but not on her shoulder. She’s a facts-over-feelings gal who believes in getting straight to the point, so suffice it to say she’s not exactly a softy. But that doesn’t mean she’s not still a romantic deep down inside (like, way deep down). She wants to be wooed, and she’s hoping to find a mellow man to balance out her strong personality. Despite the fact that she looks like a total sweetheart, she sounds like someone who knows what they want — and isn’t afraid to go for it.
Victoria, 27
Victoria is a … OK. Apparently, and these are presumably her words but definitely not mine, Victoria is a “queen” from Los Angeles. However, she says she’s outgrown her “once upon a time” fantasies of traveling the world, but that doesn’t mean she’s given up on her dreams of having her own kingdom. She’s launched her own businesses in the “health and beauty space” where she’s in charge, and she’s looking for a man who can “keep up but who won't be controlling in any way, shape or form.” To be clear: She is not looking for a king. She’s looking for like a Queen-Elizabeth-and-Prince-Phillip type of situation. A prince consort, if you will. She’s ready to get what she wants when it comes to Matt and bring him home to meet her royal heir, a Goldendoodle named Coco.
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