Ariana Grande Says Hollywood Strikes Led Her To Create New Music & Release ‘Eternal Sunshine’

Ariana Grande is opening up about what inspired her to release her seventh studio album, Eternal Sunshine, which is set to drop on March 8.

In a new interview, Grande said she was not planning on releasing new music until after Wicked opened in theaters.

“I did not plan to [make new music now]. I didn’t have the goal to make an album,” Grande said on the Zach Sang Show. “I actually was really opposed to coming out with music until after Wicked, either both parts or just one part. I wasn’t sure how I would feel.”

However, when Hollywood was shut down following the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes, filming for Wicked was put on pause, leaving Grande with extra time. The “Yes, and?” singer teamed up with Max Martin in New York City and created new music.

“It all just kind of started pouring out, and after our first week together, I kept coming to the studio every day by myself, and it just kinda kept organically happening that way, so I just decided to react and listen to that, and I thought maybe it should come out if it’s coming out of me this way,” she said. “Maybe it should be shared this way.”

Eternal Sunshine is her first album since Positions dropped back in October 2020. Grande said she has evolved since the release of her last album, particularly since being part of Wicked and giving life to Glinda.

“I kind of healed a lot of parts of myself alongside and through [Glinda], and it actually helped me heal a lot of my own personal weird stuff that I had with my relationship to music and to being an artist,” she said. “It all happened absolutely how it was meant to be.”

Wicked: Part One opens in theaters on November 27, 2024, with the second part dropping the year after.

The second part of Grande’s interview with Sang will drop on Amazon Music, the same day Eternal Sunshine is released, March 8, where the singer will break down each of the songs of the album.