Ariana Grande Shares “Loving Reminder” Amid Body-Shaming Criticism

“I’m really lucky to have the support system that I have,” she said, “and to know and trust that I’m beautiful.”

Despite the Victorious alum’s positive outlook, she recently admitted that dealing with the pressures that come with stardom has presented challenges for her in the past.

“Until quite recently, it was really hard for me to navigate,” she told The New York Times in an interview published Nov. 5. “And I think it stripped a lot of joy out of this for me.”

Fortunately, Ariana has learned to compartmentalize her public persona—and it’s made a world of difference.

“I’ve never felt this connected to my art or inspired, and that’s been such a tremendous gift,” she explained. “It’s like, ‘I don’t actually have to take on those things that were projected onto me. I can focus on my art and that can be a separate entity.’ But I had to give myself the permission to think that.”