Did Taylor Swift Ever Feud With Ariana Grande? We Revisit The Rumors
International pop icon Taylor Swift's clashes with fellow celebrities and former partners have long been a topic of public conversation — even the ones that never actually happened. From Swift and Katy Perry's iconic feud to the pop star's highly publicized drama with Kim Kardashian and Kanye West, Swift has had several difficult conflicts throughout her career. But is fellow pop star Ariana Grande one of them?
In the age of doctored social media and rampant online skepticism, even silence can become a breeding ground for assumed contempt. Such seems to be the case for Swift and Grande, who have been thought to have beef with one another despite neither party confirming this to be true. The pair have never publicly exchanged ill words about one another, but that hasn't stopped the rumor mill from churning out speculation.
One of the most pressing components of the alleged Swift-Grande feud can be traced back to Scooter Braun, Grande's manager and the record exec who infamously sold Swift's masters out from under her.
Scooter Braun is the most convincing element of the supposed Grande-Swift feud
Record executive Scooter Braun became Taylor Swift's nemesis in July 2019 after buying the masters of her first six albums, which he subsequently sold to an investment fund for more than $300 million a year later. Swift accused Braun of being a bully undermining her career and called on Braun's roster of celebrity clients — one of whom was Ariana Grande — to push back against their manager's actions. Grande was noticeably quiet in the scandal's aftermath.
The same month Braun acquired Swift's early masters, an inside source told Variety that Grande was "frustrated by the whole thing." The source claimed that Grande's public silence was due to Braun "encouraging all of his acts to stay out of it." Around the same time, a social media post of Grande's began circulating the internet. The alleged Instagram story showed Grande apologizing to Swift and saying she had talked to Braun as soon as she heard the news of the acquisition, but E! News later reported that this social media post was fake.
In the years following Braun and Swift's famous feud, the "Karma" singer never publicly expressed disdain for Grande remaining on Braun's artist roster. And in 2023, she'd no longer have to. Grande left Braun's SB Projects for Good World Management in December of that year, citing an amicable split but that the performer had "outgrown" Braun (via Billboard).
Other supposed sources of tension between Ariana Grande and Taylor Swift hold less water
Despite Ariana Grande's continued association with Scooter Braun, it didn't appear Taylor Swift harbored any ill will toward her. In March 2020, Swift shared Spotify's list of most-streamed female artists, which included herself and Grande, on her Instagram story. The singer captioned her post, "I love these ladies!!!" (via CheatSheet), suggesting any bad blood between Swift and Grande in relation to Braun was either nonexistent or already resolved.
Other evidence of a feud seems even flimsier. In a 2018 Elle cover story, writer Katie Conner compared Grande's outspoken political views to artists like Swift, who previously remained apolitical to avoid alienating her fans. "That's wild to me," Grande said. "Not everyone is going to agree with you, but that doesn't mean I'm just going to shut up and sing my songs." Grande didn't mention Swift in her quote, and the comparison seems to come directly from Connor. Still, some fans viewed Grande's take as a sly dig at Swift.
Still, there are plenty of other instances—circa 2014-2016—that suggest Swift and Grande were once besties. From showing support via social media to Grande saying she'd love to be a member of Swift's famous girl squad during a 2016 Capital FM interview, the pop stars seemed friendly, albeit distant. And since distance doesn't necessarily equal drama, we think it's safe to say the rumors of a Swift-Grande feud are just that: rumors.