Ice Spice opens up about special friendship with Taylor Swift: ‘We talk all the time’

Rapper Ice Spice has spoken about her special connection with Taylor Swift, explaining how the megastar has offered valuable mentorship after the pair worked together on the Eras tour.

As well as scoring two top five hits in the Billboard Hot 100 (with “no album out”, in the words of frequent collaborator Nicki Minaj), New York born rapper Ice also features on the soundtrack of Greta Gerwig’s highly anticipated Barbie film.

Meanwhile, Swift is also riding the crest of a wave. As well as releasing Speak Now: Taylor’s Version – the most recent re-recording of her extensive back catalogue – on Friday (7 July), she is currently in the middle of her hit Eras tour.

Put the two together, and what do you get? Aside from a slightly random remix and music video of “Karma” from Swift’s 10th studio album, Midnights, the answer is, as proven by several appearances by Spice at the Pennsylvania-born superstar’s shows, a delightful friendship – on and off stage.

In a new interview with The Guardian ahead of her performance at Wireless Festival, Ice recalled the “surreal” moment Swift made contact with her and informed her that she’d been listening to her 2023 EP, Like..? during tour rehearsals.

“I was like: ‘You f**k with my project? Like, what?'” Ice said.

The rapper – real name Isis Naija Gaston – went on to reveal how Swift became a close confidante.

“She’s so sweet, I was so obsessed with how humble she was and willing to work. She gives me so much advice, we talk all the time and she’s so funny … but I can’t say what she’s be telling me,” Ice continued.

Little wonder that Ice has found her confidence blossoming.

“I always felt like I could do anything I tried to do, but especially now it feels like anything is possible,” she said.

“Being at award shows, being on magazine covers, getting huge features – all those moments made me feel: ‘Wow, we’re really doing it big’.”

Swift isn’t the only pop powerhouse Ice has formed a close friendship with. Elsewhere in her interview, the pop sensation explained how “Pound the Alarm” hitmaker Nicki Minaj also acts as a mentor.

“She’s be telling me to learn from her mistakes. Just watching her, if you pay close enough attention, you gonna see what you should do,” Ice enthused.

“I love to talk to her about things that I can’t talk about publically, it just means so much to be able to have somebody like her.”

Minaj and Ice recently released their collaborative track “Princess Diana”, before reuniting to bring plastic fantastic “Barbie World” into the realm of reality for Greta Gerwig’s much-hyped film.

Ice has previously revealed that she has a secret weapon when it comes to making music: spoiler, it’s the gays.

Barbie opens in cinemas on 21 July.