Ariana Grande spoke warmly about her late ex, rapper Mac Miller, during a live taping of The Hollywood Reporter’s Awards Chatter podcast on Friday, Dec. 5. Grande said Miller played a pivotal role in helping her refine the R&B-tinged pop sound that later became a signature element of her music. Miller died of an accidental overdose in 2018 at age 26.

Video from the event, which circulated on TikTok, shows Grande at Chapman University in Orange, California, crediting Miller with encouraging her to blend R&B with pop and to take creative risks. She said she hadn’t publicly acknowledged his influence before and expressed gratitude for his encouragement.

The host reminded listeners that their first recorded collaboration, “The Way,” became a breakthrough single from Grande’s 2013 debut album, Yours Truly, reaching the top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 and giving both artists their first major chart success.

Grande explained she invited Miller onto the track not only because he suited the song artistically, but also because she felt indebted to him for helping her discover her musical identity. The two later dated from 2016 until 2018 and worked together again on Miller’s 2016 track “My Favorite Part” and a remix of Grande’s “Into You.”

Their relationship was announced publicly in 2016 and ended in April 2018; Miller’s death followed six months later. In 2023, marking a decade since their initial collaboration, Grande posted a nostalgic clip and a heartfelt tribute on Instagram celebrating the milestone.

Also in 2023, for the 10th-anniversary reissue of Yours Truly, Grande added a subtle nod to Miller at the close of the remastered “The Way” music video: the screen fades to black with “Feat. Mac Miller” displayed in white. She has said the original playful video for “The Way” — featuring balloons, dancers and candid moments with Miller — was made independently without the label’s involvement.

Grande had more reason to celebrate on Monday, Dec. 8, when she earned a second Golden Globe nomination for her performance as Glinda in the film adaptation Wicked: For Good. She described the repeat nomination as a thrilling, unexpected honor and said it felt especially meaningful to be recognized twice for the same role.