Miley Cyrus Jokes About ‘Flirting’ With ‘Real Friend’ Ariana Grande During 2015 Duet

Miley Cyrus praised Ariana Grande for being a “real friend” as she remembered “flirting” with her pal during a past performance.

"This is as serious as it can be, me and Ariana Grande performing in onesies in the backyard," Cyrus, 30, shared during her “Used to be Young” social media series on Tuesday, September 5.

The musicians teamed up for an installment of Cyrus’ “Backyard Sessions” in 2015, where they sang "Don't Dream It's Over,” originally by Crowded House. At one point, Grande, 30, missed a musical cue because Cyrus’ “flirting” caused her to laugh.

“She was a little scared," Cyrus joked. “We were having fun.”

Although it’s unclear when their friendship began, photographers first caught Cyrus and Grande hugging in the crowd at the MTV VMAs in 2014.

“There's never been a time where I've asked her to do something that was important to me that she didn't come through, and same thing for me with her,” Cyrus shared on Tuesday.

Cyrus previously joined Grande on stage during the “One Love Manchester” benefit concert in June 2017. They sang “Don’t Dream It’s Over” again at the event, which raised more than $9 million for the families of the May 2017 Manchester Arena bombing. (Grande was playing at the arena as part of her Dangerous Woman tour when an explosive was detonated, killing 22 concertgoers and injuring more than 500.)

Cyrus has been vocal about her ongoing support for Grande over the years, noting in 2018 they had “been texting” to foster a deeper friendship.

“I’ve been trying to start a real relationship and not try to ask her to work or try to collaborate too much,” Cyrus shared on SiriusXM's Radio Andy at the time. “But I feel like she needs a friend, and I need a friend. And I would love to start that relationship more.”

Cyrus also refused to say “a bad thing” about Grande while appearing on The Howard Stern Show in December 2018.

“She’s always been so great,” she gushed at the time. “It’s not about how many hours spent or how many inside jokes you have, but it’s about the real s–t.”

The following year, they ended up collaborating with Lana Del Rey for the song “Don’t Call Me Angel,” which was released as part of the 2019 Charlie’s Angels soundtrack.

After making music together, Cyrus couldn’t help but share more insight into her friendship with Grande, calling her an “open book” while chatting with Vogue in July 2019.

“She has always shared her experiences with this beautiful blend of reality and the fantasy that pop culture requires,” Cyrus said at the time.