Reconnecting with old friends can be awkward, tense, and sometimes disappointing. But that wasn’t the case for Riley Burruss and Ariana Biermann.
The Real Housewives of Atlanta daughters rekindled their bond in Next Gen NYC Season 1, which premiered roughly 15 years after they lost touch. The pair reflected on their renewed friendship in separate interviews for Us Weekly, saying their 2024 reunion was surprisingly effortless.
Riley Burruss & Ariana Biermann recall their long-awaited reunion
“I was nervous,” Riley said about reconnecting with childhood friend Ariana. “But we spent the day together, even outside of the cameras. We became best friends in two hours.”
Ariana echoed Riley, admitting she didn’t know what to expect when she met up with Riley in New York City.
“You don’t see somebody for almost 11, 10 years. How are you supposed to know if you’re going to get along again or if you guys are the same people?” she asked. “Even though we both grew up in Georgia, it was in two different places. She’s lived in New York for four years [already]. I was really nervous and hesitant. … We really picked like no time had passed. We hung out all day for the next three days.”
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When did Riley Burruss & Ariana Biermann lose touch?
Riley and Ariana’s friendship fizzled out after their respective moms, Kandi Burruss and Kim Zolciak, had a massive fallout in RHOA Season 3. The former Housewives had a highly publicized dispute over “Tardy for the Party,” Kim’s now-iconic dance track Kandi co-wrote and co-produced.
“I’m so happy we can show the world that it doesn’t matter when you stop being somebody’s friend or what happens between your families — you can still pick up and have a friendship outside of all the bulls–t,” Ariana added.
Riley Burruss & Ariana Biermann address their mothers’ rift
Although Kandi and Kim have yet to bury the hatchet, Riley and Ariana are convinced they can help repair their mothers’ friendship. The pair previously told The Daily Dish that their moms seemed open to a reconciliation; they just needed a little outside assistance.
“There [hasn’t] been a time or place yet where they’re both in town at the same time,” Ariana explained. “I feel like we need to be there at the dinner when they do reconnect. I can’t see them [meeting] in Atlanta… I feel like we could definitely bring them and reconnect them together.”
See what Kandi had to say about her years-old rift with Kim and what went down when they came face to face in 2022.
