Ariana Grande Recalls 'Dealing with PTSD' Plus 'Grief,' 'Depression and Anxiety' inSweetenerandThank U, NextEras

Mar. 15, 2025

Ariana Grande in Los Angeles in December 2024.Photo:John Salangsang/Shutterstock

John Salangsang/Shutterstock

The process of makingSweetenerandThank U, Nextwas an emotionally taxing time forAriana Grande.

In a new interview on the Feb. 3 episode oftheHollywood ReporterpodcastAwards Chatter, the Grammy-winning singer and Oscar-nominated actress opened up about experiencing post-traumatic stress disorder, grief, depression and anxiety while making the back-to-back albums.

Sweetenerwas released in August 2018 and marked Grande’s first project following the 2017 bombing at the Manchester stop of her Dangerous Woman Tour thatkilled 22 people and injured hundreds of others. Less than one month after the album came out, theWickedstar’s ex-boyfriendMac Millerdied of anaccidental drug overdose.

Ariana Grande in London in January 2025.Dave Benett/Getty

Dave Benett/Getty

Grande then made the bulk ofThank U, Nextin about two weeks and released the album in February 2019, something she “needed” to do at the time.

“I was doing so much therapy, and I was dealing with PTSD and all different kinds of grief and depression and anxiety. And, I was, of course, treating it very seriously, but having music be a part of that remedy was absolutely contributing to saving my life,” she said on the podcast.

“They were dark times, and the music brought so much levity and so did the experience. But it poured out with urgency, and it was made with urgency, and it was a means of survival,” she added.

While the “God Is a Woman” musician said her record label “understood” the need to make more music, the company was “hesitant” to move on fromSweetener"so quickly because at the time that wasn’t really something that people did."

She continued, “It felt really healing and freeing. It was just such a beautiful moment of connection.”

Ariana Grande in London in August 2019.Kevin Mazur/Getty

Maintaining a deep connection with fans has “been one of the most beautiful pieces of the puzzle” throughout Grande’s career, she toldAwards Chatter.

“Like, meeting waiters at a restaurant who will tell me that they felt like they had a big sister in me because they didn’t have a sister growing up, and they’re gay, and they have felt like I was their sister, and they could come out because I was there and made a silly song,” she said.

“It’s just really beautiful, and I carry that with me,” added Grande.

source: people.com