Ariana Grande has posted a number of tributes to her longtime boyfriend Mac Miller in the months since his death in September from an apparent drug overdose. She posted another on her Instagram story Sunday night — a shot of his hands playing a keyboard — but deleted it soon afterward without explanation.
Early Monday, she elaborated further on her tumultuous 2018 — which also saw the beginning and end of her brief engagement to “Saturday Night Live” star Pete Davidson, as well as several hit singles and her hit album “Sweetener” — with an Instagram post that reads, “farewell 2018, you f—. i hope this new year brings you all much laughter, clarity and healing. 🖤 be gentle with yourselves and each other. if we made it thru this last year, we’ll for sure make it thru this one. thank you for everything. 🖤”
While Grande’s tributes to Miller have mostly been photographs or brief videos, she honored him and others in her recent hit song “Thank U, Next” — calling him “an angel” — and also posted an emotional note to him in September, which reads: “i adored you from the day i met you when i was nineteen and i always will,” she wrote. “i can’t believe you aren’t here anymore. i really can’t wrap my head around it. we talked about this. so many times. i’m so mad, i’m so sad i don’t know what to do. you were my dearest friend. for so long. above anything else. i’m so sorry i couldn’t fix or take your pain away. i really wanted to. the kindest, sweetest soul with demons he never deserved. i hope you’re okay now. rest.”
In October, she posted a touching video of Miller getting dressed for Oscar night, taken just weeks before the couple split and two months before he died.
Grande’s is expected to release a new album, also titled “Thank U, Next,” in the coming weeks. She will spend much of 2019 on her “Sweetener” tour, which launches in March.