Overview
- Ariana Grande told students during a Chapman University master class, recorded for The Hollywood Reporter’s Awards Chatter, that Mac Miller helped her find her musical direction early on.
- She recalled Miller urging her to “do the brave thing” by leaning into R&B‑influenced pop, a push she said she had not publicly detailed before.
- Grande said that guidance was a key reason she wanted Miller on her breakout single “The Way,” which became both artists’ first Billboard Hot 100 top‑10 in 2013.
- The pair later collaborated on his 2016 single “My Favorite Part” and a 2016 remix of her track “Into You,” reflecting an ongoing creative partnership.
- Grande has continued to honor Miller since his death on Sept. 7, 2018, from an accidental overdose involving fentanyl, cocaine and alcohol, including references in “thank u, next” and by playing his music on tour.