“The Bachelor’s Grant Ellis Feels “Really Thankful” for His Love Quest, Despite “Challenging” Outcome: “It Felt Like Therapy to Me”

Following Grant Ellis’ heartbreaking journey on Season 21 of The Bachelorette, where he embraced being “perfectly imperfect,” the beloved contestant is making a return to reality TV. This time, he will be the focal point as the new leading man on The Bachelor for Season 29.

Viewers of The Bachelor can anticipate the premiere on Monday, January 27, to witness the 31-year-old day trader from New Jersey meeting 25 potential partners. Throughout the season, Ellis will partake in unique and life-changing experiences, filled with drama, romance, heartbreak, and unforgettable adventures.

As he once again opens up his heart, the former professional basketball player will showcase his passion for music, explore stunning destinations, strengthen familial relationships, reunite with acquaintances from Bachelor Nation like Joey Graziadei, and delve into significant self-discovery.

“I couldn’t imagine it being any other way now that I’m going through this process and learning about myself. Everything that’s been unfolding in my life, and the lessons that I’ve learned — I’m really grateful,” Ellis told Decider via Zoom. “…This journey did so many things for me. It was like a therapy session.”

As a self-proclaimed “lone wolf” (he’s got the tattoo to prove it!), Ellis’ greatest fear going into the season was that he’d end up alone at the end. Judging from the dramatic finale preview, which shows host Jesse Palmer telling Ellis, “We’ve got both women. They’re here on standby. And, of course, I have to know which one to send first,” viewers will be left guessing until the very end.

Ahead of The Bachelor’s premiere on Monday, January 27, Season 29’s charming leading man  chatted with Decider about his favorite rom-com, his go-to karaoke song, what Bachelor Nation can expect from his journey, and more.

DECIDER: Congratulations on this exciting journey! It’s finally time for Bachelor Nation to see your season. Looking back on the wild ride today, how do you feel about everything? 

GRANT ELLIS: I’m really happy. I couldn’t imagine it being any other way now that I’m going through this process and learning about myself. Everything that’s been unfolding in my life, and the lessons that I’ve learned — I’m really grateful. 

You quickly became a fan-favorite contestant on Jenn Tran’s season of The Bachelorette. We got some glimpses of the vulnerability I’m sure you’re about to display in full-force on your own season, and in those personal conversations, you opened up about your dad, who had recently started his sobriety journey after struggling with addiction for 30 years. Do you think your experience on The Bachelor brought you guys closer together? 

100% it did. This journey did so many things for me. It was like a therapy session for me in terms of me rekindling my relationship with my dad and just finding myself. So there were a lot of positives to it. 

What’s something you learned about yourself along the way?

I learned that my whole life I really suppressed my emotions. But in this journey, I learned that I think it’s really a strength to show how you feel, and to do it at the right moment, and know when to do it. That’s what I learned about myself, and I think that I’m still growing in that department. 

We knew from The Bachelorette that basketball was a huge part of your life, and from the moment you came out beatboxing for Jenn it was clear you had some serious music skills. The trailer teases some singing ahead on these dates, so tell me a bit more about your love of music.

Music is a form of expression. I’m not going to say I’m the best, but I definitely like to express myself. It’s not something I take seriously, it’s just something that I enjoy doing. I think that music inspires and moves people, and it evokes emotion.

Your Bachelorette bio said you’re a big karaoke fan, so what’s your go-to karaoke song? 

I think my karaoke song would probably be “All of Me” by John Legend, but I sound a lot better with a couple of drinks. [Laughs]

Oh, love that. Mario also appears in one of the trailers for your season. What was it like having him on your date?

That was amazing. I actually got on stage with him and did a performance. It was really cool. That was a dream come true. It was really fun. 

Several of your contestants shared their love of rom-coms in their Bachelor bios. Do you have a favorite movie you’d like to shout out?

So my favorite rom-com is Love Don’t Cost A Thing. It’s with Nick Cannon and Christina Milian. It’s a fairly old 2000s movie, but that’s something I grew up watching. 

Before I go, we have to chat about the finale. We’ve seen our fair share of dramatic endings in this franchise, but the previews show you struggling to choose between your top two women in the final hour. What can you tease about the end of your season? Did you anticipate it would be that difficult to make a final decision? 

Well it’s not often that you’re dating multiple people at once. That was a first for me. And the women were so great this season, that the choice was difficult. Throughout the season, you’ll see the connections form. And I’ll leave it up to the viewer to decide what their opinion is. But for me, I really tried to take my time and make sure I made the right choice. 

Aside from a unique ending, what else can Bachelor Nation expect from your season? 

You could expect a rekindling relationship with my dad, and us talking about our lives. Expect a lot of fun, a little bit of drama, and just tune in. It’s going to be a really, really fun season.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

New episodes of The Bachelor Season 29 premiere Mondays at 8:00 p.m. ET on ABC with next-day streaming on Hulu.