Ariana Grande Opens Up About Her Musical Influences


Ariana Grande owes her knowledge of music to Destiny’s Child.

The singer listened to a lot of performers when she was starting out, though she learned a lot about the finer aspects of the craft by dissecting the Destiny’s Child version of “Carol of the Bells.”

Grande opened up about her musical influences during her recent chat with the folks at V magazine. In addition to discussing how Destiny’s Child helped her learn about music, she also touched on her admiration for Madonna and those frequent comparisons to Mariah Carey.

“I grew up listening to Destiny’s Child. I would try so hard to mimic all Beyoncé’s little runs and ad-lib things. They are so precise. It’s like math. Remember the Destiny’s Child version of ‘Carol of the Bells?’ I took it apart, put it in GarageBand, and dissected it all. That’s how I learned about harmonies and runs and ad-libs. Thank you, Destiny’s Child!” Ariana said.

About those Mariah Carey comparisons: “I mean, it’s a huge compliment. But when you hear my entire album, you’ll see that Mariah’s sound is much different than mine. [My other inspirations] that’s where I discovered my range.”

The Sam & Cat star also has nothing but love for controversial singer Madonna. Although Ariana Grande doesn’t seem too concerned about making a huge statement or shocking the world with her antics, she still appreciates the contributions Madonna has made to music over the years.

Grande explained:

“I just love how she stands up for what she believes in and surprises people by not eff-ing up when they want her to so badly. Madonna has always surprised people and she has always had her head on straight. Even when she pretends not to. When she shocks people and everything, there is always a method behind it.”

Ariana also told the folks at V magazine that she’s spending a lot of time learning how to navigate the industry. One aspect she’s trying to master is developing a thick skin when it comes to those unsavory folks who only want to cause trouble.

“I’ve learned over the past year that you don’t have time to chase after every person who doesn’t understand you. The people that know me know that I’m a nice girl. My fans know that I’m a nice girl. My friends know that I’m a nice girl. And ultimately, that’s all that matters,” the singer explained.

Are you a fan of Ariana Grande? What do you think about the singer learning about harmonies and runs from Destiny’s Child?

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