The Story Behind Taylor Swift & Camila Cabello's Friendship Is Actually Super Sweet

Taylor Swift has made a career of writing songs about love and heartbreak, so it's no surprise that she had some advice for Camila Cabello when she went through her first breakup. After meeting through mutual pal Hailee Steinfeld, Swift and Cabello's friendship began by bonding over heartache, the "Havana" singer told Rolling Stone in a cover story published Wednesday. Cabello said,

"She sent me a breakup playlist and said, 'Come over. Let's talk about it. I think the Haim girls were there. It was, like, a girls-night thing."

Cabello — who is currently opening for Swift on her Reputation Stadium Tour, along with "Boys" singer Charli XCX — said Swift also provided counsel as she was working on her debut album, Camila, which was released in January, and trying to sort through her emotions, telling the "Havana" singer to "just to write it out."

It's not the first time Cabello has spoken publicly about her relationship with Swift, and when rumors surfaced that the megastar had encouraged Cabello to leave her former group Fifth Harmony, she set the story straight.

"It annoyed me that people said that she was encouraging me because I know she probably got a lot of flack for that or a lot of negative criticism for that and that annoys me because I’m really protective over my friends," Cabello said during an appearance on The Dan Wootton Interview podcast in March, Us Weekly reported. "To be honest with you, she’s never, ever had anything to do with that. It’s so funny because when Taylor and I talk, and whenever we hang out, we talk about love and boys and we strategize over it."

Cabello also talked to Rolling Stone about leaving Fifth Harmony, which she likened to splitting from a romantic partner. "It was as painful as a breakup, a five-year breakup," Cabello told the magazine.

She also maintained that while some people considered her departure from the group a grasp at greater stardom, that was not her intention and that the move was simply a natural next step. She explained,

"I don't think there was ever a point where I was like, 'I want to leave because I'm the breakout star.' We were just really young. If we were in the same situation now, it would probably be fine for everyone to make their own music while being in the group, because I think everyone understands now that you can't limit people. That's why people break free."

While Cabello's choice to leave spawned some drama, with both parties holding fast to somewhat different versions of events, they have since wished each other well and Fifth Harmony recently announced a hiatus so other members of the group could focus on their solo endeavors as well.

Cabello also revealed that "Havana," the song that helped her carve her own path, almost didn't make it to radio. She told Rolling Stone, "Nobody wanted to make it a single. They said that radio would never play it, that it was too slow, too chill." Cabello fought for the song — with its sultry vibe and a chorus that does victory laps in your head long after it ends — to be released, and it went on to become a worldwide success, reaching the number-one in 23 countries.

"It just taught me a huge lesson: Screw whatever's ‘going to work' — you just have to go with the thing that you feel is the most you," Cabello added.

Cabello's fans can see her perform that song and plenty of others as she continues to open for Swift on her Reputation Stadium Tour through the summer and into the fall. And knowing how close the two are IRL, it makes them taking the stage together even sweeter.