Ariana Grande on taking off the pop star mask: 'People are seeing me' for first time

This may be the most authentic Ari yet.

Ariana Grande is opening up about her career evolution in a new interview for The Hollywood Reporter.

"This feeling that people are seeing me — like, actually me — it's so silly because I've been seen for so long, but it feels like it's maybe for the first time and it's just different," she told the outlet.

Grande, whose past persona as a high-ponied pop star was cemented in pop culture, minted a new career chapter last year as she promoted her role in "Wicked," the first chapter in a two-part movie adaptation of the popular Broadway play.

Grande, who plays "good witch" Glinda in the film adaptation, told THR that the pivot back to her theater kid roots had been both cathartic and revelatory.

"At a certain point, you get tired of that (pop star) character, because it is a character," Grande said. "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, and I think 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."

Her performance as that character helped her nab an Oscar nomination for best supporting actress.

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The ability to strip away the trappings of pop superstardom allowed her to get to know herself better, she told THR.

"It became this beautiful evolution of getting to know myself beneath it all. I was like, 'Oh my goodness, I love this person underneath the drag,'" she said.

The interview also covered Grande's time as a child star on Nickelodeon's "Victorious" and tabloid rumors that followed her rise to stardom.

"I have dreams of a world where you're not allowed to enter the entertainment industry without having it written in your contract, whether it's with the record label or the production company, that there will be therapy multiple times a week and a support system," she said.

Dan Schneider, the producer and screenwriter behind "Victorious" and several other popular Nickelodeon shows, has since been accused of inappropriate behavior on set and creating an abusive work environment. Those allegations were chronicled in the 2024 documentary "Quiet on the Set."

"Being on a show that changes your life or releasing a song that changes your life exposes you to many forces, both love and hate, and there is no manual," Grande told the outlet.

Post-"Victorious," Grande largely left acting behind, kicking off a storied singing career punctuated with several Grammy wins and number one hits.

From her breakout single "The Way," to ballads like "Into You," she became known for her gravity-defying vocal runs.

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She cited a strong support system, including friends, family, and a well-trained therapist, for getting her through the most tabloid-littered periods of her career.

"It was just a crazy time," she told the outlet, "All I wanted was to sing and for it to be about my work, and it felt like the more successful the music became, the more people tried to destroy me."

Now, she's built up a thicker skin, she said, and is more capable of filtering out the noise.

"It’ll never be unpainful," she told the outlet. "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."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Ariana Grande says pop star persona is a 'character'