How Ariana Grande's Intense Year Made Her Better, Stronger, and All the More Exceptional

Ariana's return to social media and music was definitely an emotional one. The singer hadn't released new music since shortly before the 2017 Manchester bombing attack during her Dangerous Woman tour. The release of "No Tears Left to Cry" in April was the perfect way to start off her Sweetener era — an uplifting summer anthem that encouraged moving on and doing better for yourself despite the disorientation that occurs in life. To top that off, Ariana gave a surprise performance at Coachella later that month, where fans got to hear the new single live for the first time.

Excuse me, but Ariana did not have to do it to us like this, but I'm damn happy she did! Her Vera Wang gown for the Met Gala in May was a literal work of art, depicting Michelangelo's famous fresco "The Last Judgment," which covers the altar wall of the Sistine Chapel in Vatican City. She is an actual angel so it makes sense, but she should warn us before she transcends our fashion hopes and dreams like this next time!

After releasing her first single in over a year and giving her fans a surprise Coachella performance, Ariana took things up another notch! The singer kicked off the 2018 Billboard Music Awards in May by performing a topsy-turvy rendition of the song that involved her floating on a cloud of umbrellas and twirling around with some backup dancers. She was giving us modern "Singing in the Rain" remixed with M. C. Escher's Relativity vibes and I'm 100 percent here for it.

In case the video didn't already have you signing up to join the Church of Ariana, her performance at the MTV VMAs in August should do the trick. Accompanied by a group of more than 50 female dancers, Ariana and company broke it down at a Last Supper-esque table to remind us that femininity is divine and you better respect it. The performance was everything we wanted from her and it was made extra special by the final few seconds where Ariana brought her cousin, mother, and grandmother! We stan a family woman!!

To the surprise of no one, when Sweetener dropped in August it was met with critical acclaim. Fans fell in love with Ariana's fourth studio in no time and it's safe to say that the lives of Arianators were forever changed. That passion translated to Sweetener debuting at number one on the US Billboard 200 — her third album ever to do so!

It was a hard year for the singer and she didn't shy away from talking about how she coped with it. At several points in the year, Ariana made it a point to address mental health and how important it is for people to keep the conversation going. She spoke about her own battles with anxiety in Elle Magazine's August issue, sat down with Apple's Beats 1 Radio host Ebro Darden later that month to talk about the meaning behind her song "Get Well Soon," and opened up to a fan on Twitter in November about going to therapy. Her consistent advocacy makes mental self-care normal and will undoubtedly help any of her fans who ever feel worried about seeking help.

Not only did Ariana give fans the album they'd been yearning for, she also dropped an intimate glimpse into her world with a docuseries on YouTube in November. Titled Dangerous Woman Diaries, the four-part series takes viewers behind the scenes of some of the biggest moments throughout the Dangerous Woman Tour and the making of Sweetener. You get exclusive looks at Ariana in the studio, on the stage, and generally being the ray of light onto the world that she is.

Billboard knows where the action is, ok! Not only did the singer give an illuminating interview with the magazine to celebrate the honor in December, she also gave a beautiful speech during the ceremony later that month where she opened up about her tough year following the death of her ex-boyfriend Mac Miller and her split from Pete Davidson. "I just want to say if you're someone out there who has no idea what this next chapter is going to bring, you're not alone in that," the singer said. We can all definitely relate.

Now that 2018 is coming to a close, what else is there for Ariana to do? According to her, every damn thing possible! She's already working on her fifth album Thank U, Next, while preparing to go on her Sweetener World Tour. Whereas Sweetener was the spoonful of sugar that fans desperately needed, Thank U, Next will be the product of "feminine energy and champagne and music and laughter and crying." According to Ariana, "A lot of it sounds really upbeat, but it's actually a super sad chapter." If her second single "Imagine" is an indication of where the album is going, I honestly can't wait for more.