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They first met in 2009.
By Nia Tipton — Written on Dec 10, 2022
Katy Perry and Rihanna used to be extremely close during the early 2010s—until their friendship suddenly ended.
The two singers became instant friends in 2009 after meeting and bonding over a Valentino bag Rihanna had been wearing.
"[Rihanna] had this cool studded Valentino bag that had sparkly stuff on it,” Perry said told Elle magazine in May 2012.
After Perry complimented Rihanna's bag, the 'Diamonds' singer then offered to buy Perry the bag as a gift.
"I was like, ‘Oh great, here’s one of those tricks who talks fast friends but never lives up to it,'” Perry continued, revealing that she was initially skeptical. However, Rihanna followed through.
“Valentine’s Day came around, and I got a little Valentino bag in the mail from her,” she recalled. “I thought, ‘Wow this is a woman of her word.'”
While that moment solidified Rihanna and Perry's friendship, it wasn't long before things started going south.
Why did Katy Perry and Rihanna stop being friends?
While the two were briefly inseparable, the two stopped being seen together in late 2012 and by 2013 they were no longer friends.
Katy Perry and Rihanna's friendship allegedly ended because of Chris Brown.
At the 2012 MTV Video Music Awards, Rihanna made headlines after publicly kissing her ex-boyfriend Chris Brown at the event.
According to the New York Daily News, via Marie Claire, the kiss shared between the two exes didn't sit well with Perry, who told Rihanna that she was "making a huge mistake."
The 'Teenage Dream' singer reportedly didn't approve of Rihanna's rekindling romance with Brown, who had physically assaulted Rihanna in 2009.
In February 2013, a source told Us Weekly that Rihanna and Perry's friendship had suffered because of it.
"They aren't tight anymore because Katy doesn't approve of Rihanna dating Chris Brown," the source claimed.
Katy Perry appeared to criticize Rihanna's 'entourage.'
Perry continued to fuel speculation that she wasn't too fond of Rihanna's relationship with Brown.
In July 2013 interview with Elle U.K., Perry spoke highly of her friendship with Rihanna but didn't hold back when voicing her frustration with Rihanna's circle of friends.
"I love her and every time I see her, I'm reminded of the light that she has," Perry told the publication. "There's a lot of dark in this business."
"I know a lot of people out there with the most detrimental entourages—they are the root of their demise," she continued without naming any names.
"It's really unfortunate but you can't save these people. My days of celebrity saving are over."
Katy Perry didn't include Rihanna in her bridal planning for her wedding to Orlando Bloom.
When Perry and Orlando Bloom got engaged on Valentine's Day in 2019, fans were surprised to learn Perry reportedly snubbed Rihanna from organizing her hen do.
Back in 2010, Rihanna had been the one who organized Perry's hen do when she was marrying Russell Brand.
The 'Umbrella' singer ended up not attending the wedding, where she was expected to be a maid-of-honor, due to work commitments.
According to Mirror, instead of Rihanna, the second time around, Perry asked actress Shailene Woodley to plan the bridal party.
"It’s nearly a decade since Katy’s marriage to Russell and so much has changed in that time," a source told the news outlet. "For her first hen, Rihanna was so involved, she put a lot of it together, now they never speak."
"There's no friendship between them. It’s pretty sad. But Katy has found a new circle of friends.”
Rihanna and Katy Perry may be taking steps to repair their friendship.
However, despite the rumors of a feud between the two singers, Perry had nothing but kind words to say when Rihanna welcomed her first baby with boyfriend A$AP Rocky.
While talking to E! News in May 2022 on the red carpet for the season 20 finale of 'American Idol,' Perry said she was overjoyed for her friend.
"I’m so happy for her and congratulations,” Perry gushed. “I know that this time is so precious and it’s just like a gorgeous, cozy time. It’s a beautiful, magical time, so soak it all in.”
Nia Tipton is a writer living in Brooklyn. She covers pop culture, social justice issues, and trending topics. Keep up with her on Instagram and Twitter.