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How Kanye West and Irina Shayk "Hit It Off": Inside Their "Casual" Romance

After earlier romance rumors about Kanye West and Irina Shayk, new photos of the two together in France have taken the internet by storm. For more details on what exactly is going on, keep reading!

By Samantha Schnurr Jun 09, 2021 8:02 PMTags
Watch: Are Kanye West & Irina Shayk Dating?: What They Have in Common

Kanye West and Irina Shayk

If you've been online today, you already know what we're talking about: New photos of the Grammy-winning rapper and Russian supermodel together near Provence, France and published by the Daily Mail have taken the internet by storm. 

While romance rumors had recently emerged linking the two, the images certainly lend new weight to the chatter. "They were taking pictures of each other and the sculptures," an eyewitness told E! News. "They looked incredibly happy and relaxed. It was just them and a few friends."

According to a source, this French getaway isn't the only time the two stars have spent together. "They have been seeing each other for several weeks," the source said. "Kanye has been flying in and out of New York to be with her."

While West and Shayk have seldom been seen together publicly, behind the scenes, they have a long history. "Kanye and Irina have known each other for years through the fashion industry," a source close to West told E! News. "They were connected through their mutual friend group and Riccardo Tisci." As fans may recall, the catwalk pro walked in the rapper's 2012 Paris Fashion Week show. 

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As for how sparks flew between them, the second source explained, "Kanye and Irina connected recently when they were both in New York City. They met up one night and had chemistry and hit it off."

But don't start thinking of couple names just yet. "It's very casual and they have only been in touch for about a month," the second source noted. "Kanye has expressed he doesn't want anything serious, but likes Irina's vibe."

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Meanwhile, the father of four is still in the midst of his divorce from Kim Kardashian, who gave her soon-to-be ex a brief shout-out on Instagram in honor of his 44th birthday on June 8. "Happy Birthday," the reality star captioned a family photo of them and their kids. "Love U for Life!"

As for how she's feeling about him and Shayk—who shares 4-year-old daughter Lea with ex Bradley Coopera source told E! News, "Kim has heard the rumors about Kanye and Irina Shayk and she doesn't mind at all." As the insider put it, "If it doesn't impact her kids, then she doesn't mind if Kanye dates." 

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