There’s a type of friendship that only girls understand; the one that only exists between girls who aren’t quite friends but definitely aren’t strangers either.
The kind where you overthink every interaction, compare yourself a little too much, and never really say what’s wrong. Every girl has had a “frenemy” once or twice in their life, including me.
Why Would a Man Be There?
Most of these situations also have one common thread that people don’t talk about enough: a man somewhere in the background. Whether it’s a shared former partner, a love triangle, or just a rumored overlap, the internet almost always ends up turning it into women being compared to each other instead of celebrating the art they’ve created.
With Olivia Rodrigo and Sabrina Carpenter, it’s framed around Joshua Bassett. With Selena Gomez and Hailey Bieber, it always circles back to Justin Bieber. Even when the women involved aren’t directly addressing each other, the narrative still gets shaped as if they’re in competition.
It’s interesting how quickly the focus shifts away from the art and instead turns into women being dissected, compared, and assigned roles in a story they didn’t necessarily ask to be part of.
- Charli xcx and Lorde
-
With Charli xcx and Lorde, the situation had been quietly building for years. Fans always pointed out how they moved in similar spaces but never seemed close.
Charli’s song “Girl, so confusing” pointed out the problem, and the remix, which features Lorde, helped solve it. Lorde admitted she felt jealous and unsure of herself around Charli, flipping the whole narrative.
- Taylor Swift and Katy Perry
-
Then, there’s Taylor Swift and Katy Perry, which is basically the opposite approach. Their fallout over backup dancers turned into one of the most public feuds in pop, resulting in one of the best pop songs of all time.
“Bad Blood” made it clear where Swift stood, and Perry’s “Swish Swish” clapped right back. It was dramatic, full of shade, and interesting to watch unfold. They eventually made up, but it’s still talked about today.
- Selena Gomez and Hailey Bieber
-
Selena Gomez and Hailey Bieber. This is a long-winded, internet-crafted beef surrounding the one and only Justin Bieber.
These theories come from fans connecting dots about Gomez and Bieber copying or subtly shading each other. Even when Gomez has told people to stop the hate, the narrative keeps going.
- Nicki Minaj and Cardi B
-
With Nicki Minaj and Cardi B, nothing is left to interpretation. Their issues have played out in interviews, on social media, and even in real life, like the Harper’s Bazaar party incident. It was loud, public, and my favorite on the list.
- Olivia Rodrigo and Sabrina Carpenter
-
Finally, the dynamic between Olivia Rodrigo and Sabrina Carpenter is the most relatable out of this list. Following Rodrigo’s breakup with Joshua Bassett, her song “drivers license” set off the entire narrative, and fans connected it to Carpenter.
When Carpenter released “Skin,” it felt like a response without ever fully confirming anything. This duo is more subtle and highlights how the internet fills in the gaps.
None of these instances has stayed between them. They come from lyrics and music videos, and spark millions of fan theories.
Whether it’s subtle like Rodrigo and Carpenter or fully public like Minaj and Cardi B, the internet always ends up blowing the situation up beyond what originally started it.
Want to see more HCFSU? Be sure to follow us on Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, and Pinterest!