Just days after her showstopping Super Bowl performance and surprise second pregnancy reveal, Rihanna has broken the internet again, by gracing the cover of British Vogue’s March cover alongside partner ASAP Rocky and their nine-month-old son.
In an interview accompanying the glamorous photoshoot – the first time the family has been officially pictured together – the 34-year-old called the rapper her ‘best friend’, and said having a child (they haven’t revealed their son’s name) has made their relationship stronger.
“We’re best friends with a baby,” the pop star said. “We have to be on the same page, but we’ve always kind of had that in our relationship.
“Everything changes when you have a baby but I wouldn’t say it’s done anything but made us closer.”
The quote has been debated on social media, with some fans impressed by the couple’s bond, while others (somewhat bizarrely) suggesting the singer had ‘friendzoned’ her romantic partner.
"We're best friends with kids," that's so romantic
— Tina (@BpKqTxlveTXiOhl) February 15, 2023
So is it really a good idea to be best friends and lovers at the same time? Or should your platonic and romantic relationships provide support in different ways?
Trust and forgiveness
“Being best friends with your partner is a wonderful thing,” says Claire Williams, counsellor and founder of therapist matching platform TherapyFinders (therapyfinders.co.uk).
“If you’re best friends with your partner, you can ask and tell them anything; you understand one another and you give each other a break if they (or you!) do things wrong.”
In contrast to couples who believe the old adage ‘If you can’t handle me at my worst you don’t deserve me at my best’, those with a warm, friendly bond don’t hold grudges: “You forgive them for the things they might not realise they do, and love them all the same.”
Acts of kindness
I really love being married to my best friend. Like, I really get to wake up and do just do life with my best friend every single day. And the greatest thing about it is that it was like this before we even got married.
— Courtney Shayne (@lanafrmthenorth) February 16, 2023
“Being best friends with your partner is a wonderful thing, particularly if you’ve just had a baby, as you need to be able to trust and respect one another at a time when you simply can’t do things on your own,” Williams continues.
“Having a new baby is one of the hardest things for couples to go through and the relationship will inevitably change, but often, like for Rihanna and ASAP Rocky, it evolves into something even better.
“As you watch your partner change and grow into a different person – a parent – that love can only get stronger. All the acts of kindness they do for the baby can make you love them more.”
Social support
At the same time, everyone can benefit from having a wide social support network, rather than relying on one person to meet all your emotional needs.
Whether you have kids or not, there’s nothing wrong with wanting to vent to your favourite colleague about your partner’s snoring, or talk through any difficulties you’re having with a trusted pal.
“Making your partner ‘your world’ can be tricky if they have to go away for work commitments – you’re opening yourself up to loneliness,” Williams warns.
“It’s also healthy to have that bond with others who might be going through the same things as you, so you can chat honestly about how you’re getting on.”
Build the bond
What should you do if you feel that BFF bond is lacking in your relationship?
“Make time,” Williams says. “Find and do things that make you both laugh. If you’ve become new parents, remember who you were before you had your baby.”
And remember that your partner has a life outside the relationship too, she adds: “Listen to one another and be conscious of the external things that might be affecting them and their moods, and support them in things they are going through.”
