Ariana Grande, known for her massive stardom, recently revealed that even she has her moments of being starstruck, especially when it comes to her idol, Imogen Heap. In a candid cover story with W Magazine, the 31-year-old singer shared an unforgettable moment when Heap, whom she calls her “number one favorite musician, songwriter, [and] producer of all time,” reached out to her. Grande initially thought the message was a scam, even joking that she feared she was being “catfished” or worse, “going to be murdered.”
Grande recalled the overwhelming excitement of hearing from Heap, whom she’s admired for years. “She was so nice. She’s brilliant in every way,” Grande said, speaking about the moment she met the English musician. Grande’s admiration for Heap goes back to 2013, when she posted a cover of Heap’s 2005 song Just for Now on YouTube. Over the years, Grande has consistently praised Heap for her musical genius, describing her brain as a “musical heaven” and expressing her deep love for the intricate songwriting and production that Heap is known for.
The admiration soon blossomed into a friendship when Heap confirmed in a 2018 interview that Grande’s mother had contacted her to arrange a birthday dinner for Ariana. This dinner took place at Heap’s countryside home, and Grande humorously recalled her initial doubts about the meeting, fearing that the whole thing might be a setup for something sinister. Luckily, that was far from the case, and the two artists quickly bonded.
Their musical connection continued to grow when Grande recorded a reimagined version of Heap’s Goodnight and Go for her 2018 album Sweetener. Heap expressed her gratitude for the cover, appreciative of how Grande gave the track a new life. The mutual respect and admiration between the two musicians continue to inspire both their fans and each other.