In a new cover story interview with The Hollywood Reporter, the Grammy-winning singer opened up about the challenges of public scrutiny, particularly regarding her relationship with Wicked co-star Ethan Slater.
"It’ll never be unpainful," Grande, 31, admitted when discussing the constant rumors. "But also, I walk with the awareness that I’m an artist and this is a path that I’ve chosen, and so I just try to protect myself so that I never start to resent the art."
Grande and Slater’s relationship first made headlines in July 2023, following her separation from ex-husband Dalton Gomez and Slater’s split from his then-wife, Lilly Jay. Grande and Gomez had quietly separated in January 2023 and officially filed for divorce eight months later. Days before Slater filed for divorce from Jay, PEOPLE confirmed his romance with Grande.
By November 2024, the couple made their relationship Instagram official and have since attended multiple public events together to promote Wicked. Initially, their romance faced scrutiny over its timeline, but in September 2023, a close family friend told PEOPLE that “they didn’t begin seeing each other until after both parties were separated, respectfully.”
Beyond her personal life, Grande expressed how Wicked has allowed her to reconnect with her true self in a way that pop stardom never has.
"At a certain point, you get tired of that [pop star] character, because it is a character," she shared. "There are pieces of you and your story that are woven throughout your songwriting, but then, because of the way it travels and becomes sensationalized, it gets away from you. And beneath all of it is just a girl from Boca who loves art. That’s why it’s been such a deeply healing gift to disappear into this character—to take off one mask and put on another."
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