WATCH HILL, RHODE ISLAND: Taylor Swift seems to throw the best 4th of July parties around, and she celebrated the special day for the first time in seven years with a few of her closest friends. The singer-songwriter posted pictures to Instagram on Friday, July 7, from a party with Selena Gomez, the HAIM sisters Este, Danielle, and Alana, Ashley Avignone and Sydney Ness at her waterfront house in Rhode Island. Swift wrote in the caption, "Happy belated Independence Day from your local neighborhood independent girlies."

More pictures showed the Swift and her gang rocking patterned bikinis having fun while sipping wine and eating popsicles in her kitchen. Swift and Gomez even adorably hugged each other in one of the images. According to People, Swift and Gomez met in 2008 while they were both dating one of the Jonas Brothers. Since then, the two have performed onstage together, danced at award events and most recently, promoted each other's new songs. Swift even made a surprise appearance on 'Selena + Chef,' a new HBO Max cooking series with the 'Hands to Myself' singer. The two did not see much of each other after the Covid-19 pandemic, but they are still fast friends.

Taylor Swift and Selena Gomez 'dated the Jonas Brothers together'

The first time Swift and Gomez were seen together was in August 2008 when they went out to dinner with Joe and Nick Jonas. Gomez was dating Nick while Swift was dating Joe. In a 2017 interview with KIIS FM UK, Gomez said that she and Swift met when their careers were just getting started. "We actually dated the Jonas Brothers together! It was hysterical," Gomez said at the time.

Swift and Gomez first connected on a red carpet a month after spending time together, when the 'Vigilante S**t' singer and the Rare Beauty founder met at the premiere of the latter's movie 'Another Cinderella Story.' Gomez described Swift as her go-to friend in an interview with Seventeen. She reportedly said, "Every single problem I ever have is healable by Taylor Swift! If I ever I have an issue, Taylor has gone through it, because she's older than me, and she gives the most thought-out answers."

Taylor Swift and Selena Gomez get closer

Swift and Gomez shared a significant win at the 2011 People's Choice Awards and supported one another throughout. Backstage, they duo posed with their awards. Gomez was named the favorite emerging artist, and Swift was named the favorite country artist. In February 2011, they joined the Vanity Fair Oscars Party while channeling Hollywood glitz. Later that same year, Gomez and Swift partied hard at the American Music Awards, where they were seen interacting with a number of famous people, including Nicki Minaj, Katy Perry and Gomez's ex-boyfriend Justin Bieber, and dancing along to the performances.

Swift and Gomez were spotted together at the Teen Choice Awards, where Gomez sang 'Love You Like a Love Song'. Swift surprised the crowd during her Madison Square Garden performance in November 2011 by bringing out Gomez to perform her smash song 'Who Says'. They returned to the Teen Choice Awards stage the following summer. Each person left the ceremony with a trophy.

Birthday celebrations, award shows and more

Swift's opinions on Bieber and Gomez's erratic relationship have changed. Swift was seen walking by the ex-couple as they were kissing backstage at the Billboard Music Awards, sticking her tongue out in discontent. Swift posted a heartfelt message on Twitter for Gomez as she celebrated her 21st birthday in 2013. While attending the MTV Video Music Awards in August 2013, the pair coordinated in eye-catching navy gowns. With their respective music videos for 'Come & Get It' and 'I Knew You Were Trouble,' Gomez and Swift each received awards.

'There has always been this quality of sisterhood'

Swift and Gomez have have often spoken about their friendship of a decade in the latter's cover article for WSJ Magazine. Swift said of Gomez, "There has always been this quality of sisterhood, and I don't say that in a basic way. I knew from when I met her I would always have her back. In my life, I have the ability to forgive people who have hurt me. But I don't know if I can forgive someone who hurts her."

Gomez stated that by supporting one another during difficult times, their bond had grown stronger. She said, "There's so much of my friendship with Taylor that people don't know about because we don't necessarily feel the need to post about everything we do."

Gomez mentioned Swift briefly while speaking about how she found it difficult to make friends in the business in an interview with Rolling Stone ahead of the release of her documentary, 'My Mind and Me.' She said, "I never fit in with a cool group of girls that were celebrities. My only friend in the industry really is Taylor [Swift], so I remember feeling like I didn't belong. I felt the presence of everyone around me living full lives. I had this position, and I was really happy, but … was I? Do these materialistic things make me happy? I just didn't like who I was, because I didn't know who I was."

Gomez accompanied Swift on her Eras Tour in Arlington, Texas, on April 1. Together with her younger sister Gracie, who was dressed in a purple dress evocative of Swift's 'Speak Now' era, the 'Only Murders in the Building' actress was seen dancing while sporting a Folklore cardigan. During her performance, the '22' singer gave Gracie her fedora.