Lady Gaga Explained Why She Didn't Want to Be Ariana Grande's Friend
Gaga worried she'd "project negativity" onto Grande.
- Lady Gaga and Ariana Grande just released a new single, "Rain On Me."
- Gaga spoke to Zane Lowe of Beats 1 about the single and her friendship with Grande.
- She revealed she hesitated to befriend Grande, afraid she would "project negativity" onto her.
If you haven't yet listened to Lady Gaga and Ariana Grande's absolute banger of a single, "Rain On Me," I'd strongly recommend you do so now. Click off my article! I won't even be mad! (Or listen below, and continue reading, because I live for pageviews.)
Lady Gaga spoke to Beats 1 host Zane Lowe about the new single, as E! reports,discussing her friendship with Grande—and why it took so long to fully develop. Gaga, an icon and a legend, believed she'd be a poor mentor and a bad influence on Grande, because brains can be cruel and convince us of terrible lies! "She was so persistent. She would try over and over again to be friends with me," Gaga said. "And I was too ashamed to hang out with her, because I didn't want to project all of this negativity onto something that was healing and so beautiful."
Thankfully, Grande persisted. "Eventually she called me on my shit. She was, 'You're hiding.' And I was like, 'I am hiding. I'm totally hiding.' And then this friendship blossomed," Gaga said.
Gaga also spoke about addressing her trauma through her music—specifically, her new single "Free Woman." "It's compounded all of my feelings about life, feelings about the world, feelings about the industry, what I had to compromise and go through to get to where I am. And I had to put it there," she said. "And when I was able to finally celebrate it, I said, 'You know what? I'm not nothing without a steady hand. I'm not nothing unless I know I can. I'm still something if I don't got a man, I'm a free woman.'"
She talked, too, about healing and self-forgiveness, discussing self-harm and her past belief that she didn't "deserve good things." Gaga told Lowe, "I stopped and I forgave myself, eventually. But I think I forgave myself, because I decided that I was human and that made me feel better. I was like, "Oh, I'm doing this incredibly human thing, even though I feel a plastic doll. Look at me, I'm so fucking human."
Gaga finished with a powerful message to her fans: "If you're listening to this album and you're suffering in any type of way, just know that that suffering within itself is a sign of your humanity and you are not broken."
For more stories like this, including celebrity news, beauty and fashion advice, savvy political commentary, and fascinating features, sign up for the Marie Claire newsletter.
Stay In The Know
Get exclusive access to fashion and beauty trends, hot-off-the-press celebrity news, and more.
Related Stories:
Emily Dixon is a British journalist who’s contributed to CNN, Teen Vogue, Time, Glamour, The Guardian, Wonderland, The Big Roundtable, Bust, and more, on everything from mental health to fashion to political activism to feminist zine collectives. She’s also a committed Beyoncé, Kacey Musgraves, and Tracee Ellis Ross fan, an enthusiastic but terrible ballet dancer, and a proud Geordie lass.
-
Prince Harry Reveals How Meghan Markle Is Different From Other Royal Women in Viral TikTok
The Duke of Sussex is always ready to defend his wife.
By Amy Mackelden Published
-
Do Princess Kate and Prince William Take George, Charlotte, and Louis Trick-or-Treating?
Here's how the royals celebrate Halloween.
By Amy Mackelden Published
-
Is Kaia Gerber Hiding a Halloween Costume Under Her Chic Black Blazer?
The model attended Billie Eilish's Halloween party in a seriously sleek outfit.
By Amy Mackelden Published
-
Kim Kardashian Hosts a 'Wicked' Watch Party With Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo in Attendance
That's one way to preview an upcoming movie!
By Iris Goldsztajn Published
-
Cynthia Erivo Reacts to "Offensive" Fan Edits of the 'Wicked' Poster: "It Degrades Me"
The actress was hurt by the fan art.
By Iris Goldsztajn Published
-
Sabrina Carpenter Calls Ariana Grande's 'Espresso' Rendition on SNL "Very Nice and on Pitch"
Spoiler alert: Ari did her utmost to be totally off-key.
By Iris Goldsztajn Published
-
Lady Gaga Says She and Michael Polansky Sometimes Consider "Going to a Courthouse and Ordering Chinese Food" for Their Wedding
A real-life fairytale, TBH.
By Iris Goldsztajn Published
-
Ariana Grande Reveals Exactly What Cosmetic Work She Has—And Hasn't—Had
She opened up while hooked to a lie detector.
By Iris Goldsztajn Published
-
Ariana Grande's Lie-Detector Answer to Moon Landing Question Is Going Viral
Inconclusive..?
By Iris Goldsztajn Published
-
Lady Gaga Says Falling in Love With "Best Friend" Michael Polansky Changed "Everything"
"I just love my fiancé so much."
By Amy Mackelden Published
-
Ariana Grande Says "Negativity" About Ethan Slater Romance Was "Disappointing"
"There couldn’t be a less accurate depiction of a human being than the one that the tabloids spread about him."
By Amy Mackelden Published