Ariana Grande calls for better mental health support for young stars
Ariana Grande believes entertainment bosses need to do more to protect young stars' mental health, including provide regular access to a therapist.
Ariana Grande believes entertainment bosses need to do more to protect young stars' mental health.
The 31-year-old singer-and-actress - who shot to fame starring in Nickelodeon series 'Victorious' and spin-off 'Sam and Cat' from 2010 to 2014 - believes therapy should be an essential tool for artists as they learn to cope with life in the public eye.
Speaking on the 'WTF with Marc Maron' podcast, she said: “It’s so important that these record labels, these studios, these TV studios, these big production companies make it a part of the contract when you sign on to do something that’s going to change your life in that way, on that scale. You need a therapist to be seeing several times a week.
“When these people are cast in these life-changing roles, or when they get that record deal, when they get that moment, that should be non-negotiable in the contract.
"Because to be an artist, you are a vulnerable person with your heart on your sleeve.
So the same person who is meant to do art is the exact same person who is not meant to deal with that s***."
The 'Positions' hitmaker recalled how "there was no limit" to the negative comments she received on topics ranging from her body to her relationships when she made her initial transition into music with her 2013 debut album 'Yours Truly'.
She added: "I was 19 when all of that nonsense started happening to me, and it’s just a crazy piece of the puzzle. It’s something you work so hard to try and understand, and it will never make sense to me...
"It started when I was so young with my body or rumours about my relationship. Or about my team or about my mom or about people I love. There was just no limit."
The 'Wicked' actress' parents, Joan Grande and Ed Butera, split in the early 200s and had a strained relationship until she "forced" them to reconcile their differences when she turned 24.
She said: “They’re not together, but they’re best friends. It took 18 years and it took me forcing it. I forced them to communicate again. I really did.”
Of speaking up on her 24th birthday, she added: “I remember just kind of being at this pivotal point where I was just like, ‘You guys, I love you both so much. It’s been such a long time. Figure it the f*** out.' Like, ‘Hello, it’s been 18 years. Please get over it.’ And they did.”
“I guess they just had some sort of beautiful conversation or realised that how much they love me is so much louder than whatever nonsense happened way back when. It really is beautiful.
“It did something to my brain, too. It was really a beautiful, healthy thing.”
