In a new interview on Evan Ross Katz’s Shut Up Evan podcast, Ariana Grande talked about how pop legends like Beyoncé, Mariah Carey, and Madonna supported her when she first started in the music industry.
“I’m really lucky that my idols were so kind to me,” she said. “Madonna was one of the first to reach out. She gave me a warm welcome, and I was overwhelmed because I love her so much.”
Grande also shared that Mariah Carey supported her and recalled meeting Beyoncé in 2013. “Beyoncé invited me to visit her music video set after I sang ‘Tattooed Heart’ at the AMAs,” she said. “She gave me some advice and was so kind. I remember thinking, ‘Why am I here?’”
She added, “It meant a lot that people I looked up to embraced me. It made me feel safe.”
Over the years, Grande and Madonna have become close friends , Madonna even lent her voice to Grande’s 2019 God Is A Woman music video.
Next summer, Grande will return to touring for the first time in six years with her Eternal Sunshine tour, following her 2019 Sweetener tour. She’s also focused on acting lately, starring in the Wicked movie adaptation and its upcoming sequel Wicked: For Good.
Though she hasn’t performed live much since 2019, she told fans she’s not “abandoning” music and plans to do more shows in 2026.
In a four-star review of Eternal Sunshine, NME’s Nick Levine called it “her most sophisticated project yet” and praised her continued growth as a vocalist.
Meanwhile, Madonna recently rejoined Warner Records and announced a new dance album, Confessions On A Dance Floor Part 2, coming in 2026, nearly 20 years after leaving the label. She’s also releasing a 30th anniversary EP of Bedtime Stories with rare demos on November 28, along with a limited-edition silver vinyl reissue.
