Ariana Grande has credited writing her hit song Thank U, Next with helping her through a "rough period".
The singer achieved her first U.S. number one single with the song, which was released in November (18). It happened soon after her split from fiance Pete Davidson in October, and a month after the death of her former long-term boyfriend Mac Miller.
On Thursday, (06Dec18) the singer was honoured with the Woman of the Year prize at the Billboard Women in Music Awards, and backstage she revealed that working on Thank U, Next, an ode to self-love, has helped her with her "healing process".
“I wrote it with my friends while we were just tipsy in the studio and I was going through a pretty rough period and writing this album with them, with so many people I love, has really been a huge helping factor in my healing process and just feeling better,” she smiled. "It happened when it was meant to in my opinion."
The accompanying video, in which Ariana parodies classic noughties films Mean Girls, Bring it On, 13 Going on 30 and Legally Blonde, broke YouTube records as it became the first video to reach 1 million views in less than 34 minutes.
"I think it makes sense that it was this song, just because of what it means, and I think it’s really easy to write songs that are just sexy and fun and kind of about nothing, but I’m happy that it was a song that meant so much more to me that I made with my girls," she smiled.
Meanwhile, the God is a Woman hitmaker also shared some advice for aspiring musicians, urging them to listen to their own "little voice" and ignore pressure from the industry to look or sound a particular way.
“You should always say f**k it and listen to that voice instead,” she continued. “Because I’ve done both and I know how it feels, so for me, I would much rather just do what feels the most honest."
