Ariana & Demi's Low-Key Friendship Is Deeper Than You Think
The characteristics that mark a great friendship are pretty universal: Kindness, loyalty, trustworthiness. But, most of all, it's nice to have friends with tons in common with you. So, it makes sense Ariana Grande and Demi Lovato, two of the biggest pop stars on the globe, would link up. Not only do they both live life completely in the public eye, but they share the same manager, Scooter Braun, and have seen similar levels of success. Ariana Grande and Demi Lovato's friendship is truly something special.
Lovato and Grande have developed a unique bond through the years, though, they have largely kept it under wraps. At times, their friendship was so low-key that people didn't know or understand it, which left it susceptible to endless rumors and speculation. But just because they aren't into flaunting their friendship doesn't mean it isn't rock solid.
Since the girls grew up on competing children's television networks (Grande on Nickelodeon and Lovato on Disney Channel), they didn't have the same amount of interactions as 2000s kids came to expect from friends working on the same network, like, say, Lovato and Selena Gomez. Still, in true millennial form, the girls found ways to interact on social media. Some of their earliest interactions were super simple, like when Lovato returned to social media after a long break in 2011 and Grande gave her a warm welcome.
The tweet marked the first time the two ladies had publicly interacted, proving they were cool with one another.
However, fans thought whatever friendship was brewing between them was in trouble when, in December 2013, a fan rumor circulated that Lovato shaded Ari while at an airport. According to the fan, Lovato said “people come and go all the time,” and “Ariana is one of those people."
However, Lovato took to Twitter to shut the nasty rumor down, insisting she wasn't even at the airport that day. The instant shut-down was a prime example of the way Lovato and Grande's friendship has risen above media scrutiny time and time again.
Fast forward to 2015, and it was nothing but love at the American Music Awards, where Lovato and Grande were seen hanging out and posing for photos. In one pic, Lovato even cuddled up with Ari, her grandmother Nonna, and her brother Frankie, proving that, at the very least, these girls were still cool.
One year later, in 2016, Lovato and Grande took their friendship to the next level when they hung out in Los Angeles together — but not to hit up any fancy parties or red carpets. Nope, the friends spent a casual Friday night gallivanting to the site of the 1969 Manson murder. You know, just normal friend things.
But friendships ebb and flow, and, in 2017, fans were convinced things had gotten rocky between the two pop stars.
When Grande announced her One Love Manchester Benefit Concert, which featured a star-studded lineup, some fans questioned why Lovato wasn't on the bill. Then, Lovato herself chimed in, but her short response gave fans the feeling she felt a little left out.
“Cause I wasn’t asked," Lovato replied.
There was no reason to fret, though, because, by March 2018, Lovato was gushing about her friendship with Grande to Billboard. “When Ariana Grande and I hang out, it’s super chill," Lovato said. Per usual, the remark was just enough to hint at their tight-knit bond, without giving too much away.
That same year, Grande was there for Lovato when it mattered most. After Lovato was hospitalized in July 2018 due to an overdose, Grande spoke out, tweeting, “I love u @ddlovato.”
Grande and Lovato may not always be overly vocal about their friendship, but Ari made sure to let the world know where they stand in February 2019. After a fan doubted the strength of their relationship, Grande clapped back, saying, "I talk to her every day u psycho."
As busy as the two girls are, they've made time for each other on the important days. For example, on Lovato's 27th birthday, she jet-set to London for Ari's show, and was given the sweetest surprise. Grande led a happy birthday chant backstage that night with her dancers.
“This was too sweet not to post… before show prayer they did this for my bday,” Lovato captioned a video of the moment.
Grande and Lovato have so much history together, they're bound to be friends for life. That being said, they don't feel the need to publicize their friendship or prove its worth to the public. The two stars know what they share is something special, and have consistently remained devoted friends through the years, even when headlines said otherwise.
