Ariana Grande has explained why she changed the album cover for the 10th-anniversary edition of her debut record, ‘Yours Truly’, during a Q&A session that was shared on her TikTok account.
The 30-year-old performer stated that constant ‘bullying’ from her fans over the perceived unattractiveness of the cover was the main reason for the change.
The ‘Side To Side’ hitmaker, whose estranged husband was recently spotted without his wedding ring, also expressed that she had been greatly affected by the negative commentary regarding the image over the years.
Grande said that the criticism about the original 2013 album cover got people angry.
She stated:
“Well, it’s horrible – it’s not horrible, (but) you were right. I was very sad about that and I changed it”.
Ariana Grande
Grande then hit out at the individuals who had been harassing her over the course of the last decade regarding the album’s cover. She also saw the opportunity to address the “bullying” she’s faced in the past decade.
She said:
“You were right, but you’re not always right. Your bullying has been consistent for the past ten years, so there’s that”.
Ariana Grande
She also recalled:
“You hated it, you were like ‘This is fucking ugly Mom, change it’, so I did”.
Ariana Grande
The songwriter then alluded to the lasting negative impression that had been made on her following ‘Yours Truly’s’ release.
She revealed:
“Sometimes it works, sometimes it leaves me with wounds that make me question everything I’ve done since”.
Ariana Grande
She ended by cheekily saying “Just kidding”, before moving on with the Q&A session.
This isn’t the first time Grande has spoken out about online criticism she’s faced and its emotional toll.
Despite some of the negativity the singer has faced, she expressed appreciation for her supporters in the first part of her “Yours Truly” Q&A posted to her social media.
She said:
“Thank you for being in my life for a spectacular ten years, and for supporting me every step of the way. I’m so insanely, eternally grateful… I love you”.
Ariana Grande
Ariana Grande pays tribute to Mac Miller with new ‘The Way’ video
Ariana Grande paid tribute to Mac Miller in the video for a new version of the pair’s 2013 track ‘The Way’.
Yours Truly, which served as the singer’s debut album, was initially released on August 30, 2013. The record was preceded by three singles entitled ‘The Way’, ‘Baby I’, and ‘Right There’.
The album went on to receive positive reviews from critics, and it peaked at the top spot on the US Billboard 200 Chart.
The album, which features several live tracks, was made available to the public on Friday.
Also included in the album celebrations is a series of new videos, including one for ‘The Way’. In the video, the background fades out at the end and left are the words “Feat. Mac Miller”, which glow in white at the track’s conclusion.
Miller’s second verse in the song is also given a new orchestral string accompaniment, while the song is otherwise unchanged.
Earlier this year, Grande marked 10 years since the release of ‘The Way’ by paying tribute to Miller, who died in September 2018 following an accidental overdose and dated the singer between 2016-2018. Since then, Grande has paid tribute to her late ex-partner on her albums ‘Thank U, Next’ (2019) and ‘Positions’ (2020).
In 2020 Grande remembered Miller’s passion for music, saying she believed nothing mattered more to him than music, ever.
The singer explained:
“He was the kind of person who woke up, tumbled out of bed [and] into the studio next door. Nothing was more important”.
Ariana Grande
Last April, one of the three drug dealers charged in the death of Miller was sentenced to 11 years in prison.
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