Kayla Nicole, social media influencer and former girlfriend of NFL star Travis Kelce, recently opened up about facing backlash after discussing her personal life on Angel Reese’s "Unapologetically Angel" podcast. While Nicole believed she handled the interview gracefully, her mother was deeply affected by the negative social media responses.

Appearing on the "I Am Athlete Daily" show, Nicole tearfully shared that although she wasn't bothered by the public’s reaction, her mother was. “I thought I handled things with grace. Thought that I answered the questions to the best of my ability,” she said. “The public had their interpretation of things — didn’t matter to me. My mom calls me, though. And it’s those conversations… that’s what matters to me because she’s offended. She’s hurt by the way people are perceiving her daughter."

Nicole explained that her mother was distraught by how the headlines and public perception were being spun negatively. She recalled her mom advising her to avoid giving energy to those types of questions in the future. “Maybe next time, we don’t answer those questions,” her mother told her. “I’ve been in a soap box for a long time. I don’t always have to respond,” Nicole added. Check out the full conversation below.

As previously reported by BET, the 32-year-old model, who gained significant attention after Kelce began dating pop star Taylor Swift, spoke about the harassment she’s faced from Swift’s fanbase. During the conversation on Reese’s podcast, Nicole said, "I would be lying if I said that that level of hate and just, like, online chaos didn't impact me — it does. Even to this day." She noted that people have been critical of her on social media, with negative comments still flooding her posts.

Despite having moved on from her relationship with Kelce, Nicole expressed frustration over fans’ persistent negativity. "I don’t know why they have it out for me," she said, "especially since I navigated the breakup with such grace."