Ariana Grande may be one of the most well-known performers in the world, but she can’t help wondering if she was ever supposed to be in the limelight.
“I think I’m a person who wasn’t meant to be famous,” the former coach from “The Voice” said during her February 3 conversation with the “Smartless” podcast.
That can certainly make it difficult to handle the trappings of fame, knowing 376 million followers on her Instagram page are waiting to see what’s happening next.
“That’s such a scary thought to even think, like, ‘Oh, what are they thinking right now,’” Grande said on “Smartless.” “The healthiest thing for me is to disconnect as much as humanly possible. Of course, I have the internet, and I’m on my phone, you know, I’m, whatever, I’m on Instagram, but you know, I’m a person who tries to maintain a healthy distance from it.”
Like a lot of people trying to maneuver through the difficulties of life, Grande said it helps to dive into her work.
“I love the art of making and creating so much that I think, like, my insatiable need to just kind of make things and create and try to push myself to grow in different directions and, you know, learn new things, I kind of try to focus on that as much as possible and I think it helps me survive,” Grande said during the podcast. “Otherwise, I really think if I paid more attention that I would not, I would go away. I think it’s just too scary.”
Ariana Grande Warmed by Reaction to Role in ‘Wicked’
GettyIt seems safe to say that Grande will not be going away anytime soon.
The 31-year-old is still basking in the glow over her well-received role as Glinda in “Wicked,” for which she earned an Oscar nomination for best supporting actress. As Grande said for the February 12 cover story in The Hollywood Reporter, the reaction from fans and critics has been heartwarming.
“It’s a beautiful thing to feel like the work that I’m doing or have done is kind of, I suppose, I don’t know, enough or louder or whatever it is,” Grande said during the interview.
As Grande said on “Smartless,” her ability to enjoy the moment has evolved from what it would have been in her earlier years.
“I feel really grateful for the balance that I have found,” she said. “I mean, this whole ‘Wicked’ journey has been quite different for me, and it’s been obviously full steam ahead, but it’s been so beautiful and so fun.
“I really feel like, maybe when I was younger, and it was during my first few years as a pop star, I really struggled with boundaries and not being able to say no when I needed to, if I was running on empty, but I really do feel like I’ve been able to find a balance, and also a team who’s really protective and amazing and I love it. I really feel like I’ve thoroughly been able to enjoy this ‘Wicked’ insanity. I feel so present and grateful and that’s been so beautiful.”
Ariana Grande Excited to Continue Acting
GettyThe insanity will likely get revved up again soon, as “Wicked: Part Two” is scheduled to open in theatres on November 22, 2025.
“I think maybe there will be a little bit of space in the summer, let it breathe for a second, but it’s very exciting,” Grande said on the podcast. “I mean, the response has just been so insanely not what you expect or ever would anticipate.”
And it’s a feeling that Grande said she is ready to experience again.
“I would love to continue acting,” she said on during the podcast. “I feel so connected to it. I really would love to find the right thing that challenges me in a new way. I love it so much.”
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Ariana Grande Feels She ‘Wasn’t Meant’ for Fame