Why I love Ariana Grande

Article: More than friends

They started off as friends, but now it appears Ariana Grande and rapper Big Sean are moving beyond the friendship stage.

The 21-year-old and Big Sean are apparently dating, according to E! Online.

'They have been friends since they made the song together. They have been spending more time together and recently have been getting very close. They are both doing great,' the source told the website.

In fact, Ariana opened up about her special bond to Big Sean and their collaboration on her second album when she spoke to Ryan Seacrest last month.

'I did another song with one of my best friends, Big Sean, and it's called Best Mistake, and it's one of my favourites on the album.'

But the friendship seems to have blossomed into a romance. The two were spotted leaving a late showing of The Purge at the Grove in Los Angeles and a source said they were kissing during the movie and left before it was over.

Meanwhile, Ariana tweeted on Monday saying, 'Best Mistake from my new album will be out tonight at midnight'.

Ariana allegedly ended things with 19-year-old Australian comedy star Jai Brooks last month because he wasn't there for her during a difficult time.

'When her grandfather was dying, everyone was there for her. People flew to Florida to be with her, but Jai didn't,' a source told EOnline. 'Ariana just felt he wasn't there like he should have been.'

Ariana posted a cryptic Tweet that the source said was aimed at Jai.

'You learn a lot about love, life & the people around you during a time of crisis.

'July was painful for many reasons but of all the personal loss I suffered last month, the loss of my grandfather, a true gentleman, was the only one that truly mattered,' she wrote.

Ariana first started dating Jai, a member of the Australian YouTube comedy and prank group The Janoskians, in August 2012.

The pair allegedly split in July last year and then rekindled their romance in May, when they were spotted enjoying a passionate embrace backstage at the iHeartRadio Awards in Los Angeles.

Meanwhile Big Sean was engaged to Glee star Naya Rivera but they also split up in April.