New Bachelorette Rachel Lindsay: "I Don't Feel Added Pressure" Being the Franchi…

Rachel Lindsay knows she’s making history on The Bachelorette as the first African-American lead on both The Bachelorette and The Bachelor, but she’s not letting that get in her way of searching for love.

“I don’t feel added pressure,” she told Michael Strahan on Good Morning America. “I’m honored to have this opportunity and to represent myself as an African-American woman, I just hope people rally around me…and just realize my journey is I’m just trying to find love. Even though I’m an African-American woman I’m no different than any other Bachelorette.”

Rachel has remained off social media since the announcement was made on Jimmy Kimmel Live, but she said the reaction she’s gotten from fellow cast members has been great and her “family and friends have been wonderful too.”

“I’m just glad I don’t have to keep the secret anymore,” she said.

It wasn’t an immediate “yes” when producers approached her, she revealed.  “No, I mean I’m a skeptical person so I was definitely—I was excited that they asked me to do it, but was also equally nervous…decided this is too good an opportunity to turn up.”

The Bachelor and The Bachelorette don’t have exactly a great record when it comes to finding lasting love, something Rachel is already aware of and ready to counter.

“I just like to keep it 100 and keep it real,” she said. “So I just figure if I stay true to myself it’ll be a successful show.”

As for her favorite and least favorite parts of her time on The Bachelor, Rachel said living in a house full of women was definitely one of her least favorite aspects. “my favorite part was the surprises, the friends  that I made on the show, the relationship I had with [Nick Viall],” she said. “I didn’t think we’d click the way that we did.”

Nick told Ellen DeGeneres he and Rachel had amazing chemistry on The Bachelor, but it obviously doesn’t work out. However, he said, “I’m very excited for her. I think she’s going to be an amazing Bachelorette.”

Rachel’s The Bachelorette journey begins on May 22 on ABC.