Ariana Grande Says She’s ‘Re-Embraced’ Her Early Hits Thanks to ‘Time and Therapy’

Ariana Grande has found new meaning for songs that remind her of not-so-ideal times. During her visit to Hot Ones on Thursday, the singer reflected on the music of her early career and how, thanks to therapy, she’s been able to “re-embrace” some songs.

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“There was a time when it was hard for me to feel that same gratitude that I do now for certain songs and for the music because I think some of it was like a stressful time,” the Wicked actress said. “I think becoming a pop star is insane at 19 or 20 and I think that experience was married to some of the songs a little bit.”

“Some of the songs that are more emotional, the experience that inspired them can be married to the music to me, but with time and therapy, we sort of are able to re-embrace [them],” she continued. “I feel just really proud and grateful and happy when I hear them, whereas I used to maybe hear them and cry.”

Speaking of early hits, Grande also looked back on her storied history with producer Max Martin, who has produced many of her biggest songs, including her first major hit, “ Break Free .”

“I was a lot younger, and I did not want to do the intonation on ‘say I don’t want ya,’ and he was like, no, it really needs to be like pingy, like annoying,” Grande recalled. “It has to be like, Say I don’t want ya . And I was like fine… and that’s what made it to the record!”

“I’m so grateful for it because it made it so much better. I love that song, I love what that song has done for so many people,” she added.

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Amid faux-chicken wing nibbles (she’s vegan) and iced coffee sips, Grande shared her admiration for Imogen Heap and the singer’s usage of live looping at shows.

“I fell in love with it while watching Imogen Heap at a young age. She’s my favorite musician of all time and she used it to build her song live,” she said. “To watch her do it and show the audience that those sounds and lush emotional chords are my voice. She takes the time… and lays it all out. I was really inspired that when I was younger. I’m such a nerd for musical and vocal production.”

The singer — who released her album Eternal Sunshine earlier this year — also reflected on the “dehumanizing” feeling of getting her art leaked after earlier this year, she saw clips of studio sessions leaked on TikTok, including one song called “Fantasize” that was supposed to be for a TV show.

“It’s really hard for me because it’s really disheartening and disappointing and it sucks. And I am constantly trying to get to the bottom of, like, how people get stuff,” Grande said. “Whether it’s like videos or pictures or audio, songs… So it’s conflicting because that is very frustrating and feels very dehumanizing, and then the other side is like, but I’m so grateful to be an artist that people care about, and my fans want more of me.”

“They’re going to these extremes to steal and break in… I sit somewhere in between being grateful to be here and at all and being like, but really, come on, so that’s how I feel,” she added.

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