Ariana Grande and Big Sean have split after nearly nine months of dating. Justin Bieber apparently has nothing to do with it, as sources close to the former couple insist the break-up was mutual and that the two remain as friends.
Grande, 21, and Sean, 27, made the decision to part ways not because of any third party but because of their busy schedules, the sources told Us Weekly. "Their conflicting touring schedules would keep them apart over the next year," one insider said.
Representatives of both Ariana Grande and Big Sean have confirmed the split in a joint statement released Monday. "They both care deeply for each other and remain close friends. We kindly ask that the media respect their wish for privacy regarding this personal matter at this time," the statement read.
Unsurprisingly, Justin Bieber's name has been dragged into the issue. It can be recalled the "Baby" hitmaker made people talking following his surprise appearance at Grande's Honeymoon Tour a few weeks ago. During the concert the Biebs reportedly got handsy and intimate with the songstress on stage, something that Sean allegedly did not take well.
Yet, sources told TMZ that Grande and Sean's split has nothing to do with Bieber's mid-concert groping. While they pair have broken up, they are staying tight as friends, the site added.
The "Break Free" singer and the "Final Famous" rapper first sparked dating rumors in August last year when they were spotted getting cozy at the MTV Video Music Awards. The following month, the two confirmed they were dating when they posted photos of themselves wearing matching lion pendant necklaces on Instagram.
In an interview with British magazine Telegraph, Grande referred to Big Sean as "one of the most amazing men in the world." "I think the world of him, and he's an amazing person," she said of her former flame.
Sean also seemed proud of her former ladylove. According to E!, the rapper mentioned Grande during his visit to On Air with Ryan Seacrest earlier this year, saying, "Ariana is very, very special. She's very special to me." In a later interview with Billboard, he described her as "supercool - the coolest," adding he respected the songstress, with whom he has been friends in the beginning.
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