NEWSAriana Grande Is 'Thankful' for Late Ex Mac Miller for Helping Her 'Find My Sound'
Ariana Grande shared how Mac Miller inspired her true sound and bold artistic identity.
Feb. 14 2026, Published 5:00 p.m. ET
Ariana Grande is celebrating the profound impact Mac Miller had on her career just days before what would have been his 34th birthday.
The singer, 32, opened up about the late rapper's influence during the January 13 episode of The Hollywood Reporter's “Awards Chatter” podcast.
Ariana Grande reflected on Mac Miller’s influence on her music.
Reflecting on her debut album, Yours Truly, Grande shared that the journey to finding her sound took time. “My debut album took some time to figure out, because there was also a strange presence from Nickelodeon in my head at the beginning of, like, what should this project be?” she explained.
Grande revealed an empowering truth about her relationship with Miller. “I’ve never talked about this, but actually Malcolm – who you might know as Mac – encouraged me to be myself, and that it was OK to kind of shed that character and embrace my brown hair and make R&B-influenced pop music and separate and do the brave thing,” she said. “It was a great influence. I’m very thankful for that.”
Ariana Grande credited Mac Miller with helping shape her sound.
Before their romantic relationship blossomed, Miller collaborated with Grande on her breakout single, "The Way." Grande admitted his involvement had deep significance. “That’s also why I was so eager to ask him to be a part of it, not only because he was perfect for the song, but I also felt like I had him to thank for finding my sound,” she said.
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Yours Truly debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, featuring hits like "The Way," "Baby I," and "Right There" with Big Sean. Over the years, Grande has secured two Grammy Awards, including one for her 2018 album Sweetener.
Ariana Grande and Mac Miller dated for nearly two years.
Miller, born Malcolm McCormick, tragically died from an accidental overdose at age 26 on September 7, 2018. His final studio album, Swimming, was released just a month before his death.
The pair broke up a few months before Mac Miller’s fatal overdose.
In 2019, three men faced convictions for distributing the drugs linked to Miller's tragic passing.
Reflecting on their relationship, Grande told Vogue, “By no means was what we had perfect, but, like, f---. He was the best person ever, and he didn’t deserve the demons he had. I was the glue for such a long time, and I found myself becoming…less and less sticky. The pieces just started to float away.”
