Rihanna is discussing why she approached the beginning of her relationship with her now-partner, A$AP Rocky, with some caution. In an interview with Interview magazine published on Tuesday, the Fenty Beauty mogul and singer revealed how she and the rapper transitioned from friends to partners after initially meeting in 2012. “We shared similar perspectives on fashion and creativity.

We often found ourselves in the same social circles,” Rihanna explained. “As we grew older, we continued to support each other’s brands, products, and creative endeavors. I would wear his clothing, and he would attend my launches.” Despite having known each other for a significant period, Rihanna disclosed that their close friendship didn’t evolve into a romantic relationship until the end of 2019, following their respective experiences with dating others over the years.

“We’ve witnessed each other in various relationships and supported each other through those times,” she added.

The “Diamonds” songstress further elaborated that they were both aware that advancing their friendship into a romantic relationship had the potential to yield either great success or significant challenges.

“We understood our capabilities and the potential impact on each other’s lives,” she explained. “We recognized the power to both uplift and hurt one another. Thus, we embarked on our relationship with careful consideration.” Their relationship was confirmed by People in November 2020.

Rihanna added, “I just let whatever was supposed to happen, happen. It was just, ‘This is a flower. It’s either going to die or blossom. But I’m going to let it decide itself.’ ”

She credited the COVID-19 pandemic for helping them grow closer before welcoming their first son, RZA, in May 2022.

“COVID sped up our relationship, which I felt like God knew we needed, because we were going to start a family,” Rihanna recalled. “And had it not been for COVID, we would’ve taken a lot more time to get comfortable with each other, to even know that we were ready.”