Los Angeles, California – Ariana Grande paid tribute to her late ex Mac Miller with a rare comment about how the rapper helped her find her path in the music industry.
Speaking at a live event hosted by The Hollywood Reporter recently, the 33-year-old Wicked star credited Miller with encouraging her to “do the brave thing” and pursue R&B-inspired pop music.
She explained that his guidance is a significant reason why she wanted him to be featured on her first lead single, The Way.
“Not only because he was perfect for the song, but I also felt like I had him to thank for finding my sound,” Grande said, per a TikTok from the event.
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Three years after The Way hit the airwaves, Grande and Miller went public with their romance, and they went on to date until 2018.
Miller, then 26 years old, tragically died from an accidental drug overdose later that year.
Grande, who was engaged to comedian Pete Davidson at the time, called the musician her “dearest friend” in an emotional social media tribute.
“I’m so sorry I couldn’t fix or take your pain away. I really wanted to,” she wrote, per USA Today. “The kindest, sweetest soul with demons he never deserved.”
The Positions singer went on to honor him in her hit single Thank U, Next, where she sings, “Wish I could say ‘thank you’ to Malcolm, ’cause he was an angel.”
