Ariana Grande has openly discussed her struggles with depression and anxiety, revealing that she turned to music as a form of therapy.
The 31-year-old singer faced immense challenges in recent years, including the tragic events at her Manchester Arena concert in 2017, the loss of her ex-boyfriend Mac Miller in 2018, and a public breakup with Pete Davidson shortly after.
Despite these hardships, Ariana Grande channeled her emotions into her music, with her song Thank U, Next serving as a cathartic outlet for her grief. The track was written just two weeks after the release of her album Sweetener in 2018.
Through her music, Grande has been able to process her experiences and find healing in the midst of adversity.
Speaking on The Hollywood Reporter’s Awards Chatter podcast, Ariana Grande said of writing her hit single, “I think I needed it.
“I was doing so much therapy, and I was dealing with PTSD and all different kinds of grief and depression and anxiety.
“I was, of course, treating it very seriously, but having music be a part of that remedy was absolutely contributing to saving my life. They were dark times, and the music brought so much levity.”
The Wicked star explained, “(Thank U, Next) poured out with urgency, and it was made with urgency. It was a means of survival.
“The label understood that, but they were also very hesitant to stop Sweetener dead in its tracks and move onto an album so quickly … I just said, ‘I don’t really care about the formula. I don’t want to play by the rules at this moment, because this is what I need for my soul.’ It felt really healing and freeing.”
