Ariana Grande speaks ahead of Birmingham gig

The star will heading the city’s Genting Arena on Thursday as part of her Dangerous Woman Tour, with support from BIA and Victoria Monet.

Ariana caused a sensation when she appeared on the cover of Dangerous Woman dressed as a black latex super buynny.

“The shiny black headgear with long ears“is my superhero, or supervillain – whatever I’m feeling on the day,” says Ariana.

“Whenever I doubt myself or question choices I know in my gut are right – because other people are telling me other things – I’m like, ‘What would that bad bitch Super Bunny do?’ She helps me call the shots.”

Super Bunny seems to be making great choices. Ariana has already became the first artist in Billboard Hot 100 history to have the lead single of each of her first three albums debut in the top 10.

She has sold 1.3 million albums in the United States and grossed $41.8 million on 2015’s Honeymoon Tour, claims 4 billion YouTube views and clocks in at fourth among all humans on Instagram and 18th on Twitter. Remarkably, she feels as though she’s still got a lot to prove. “I feel like I’m still just getting started – a lot of people forget I’m only three years in.”

The reason for her rapid success is simple: talent.

Macy Gray, who sang alongside Ariana on the soulful Leave Me Lonely, is a fan. “She’s a pure singer. It’s similar to what Mariah Carey, Whitney Houston and Christina Aguilera have – that power thing. But I didn’t realise that. She does all these pop records where you can get a song across without showing your chops.”

Ariana’s success has prompted intrigue and she has been labelled a diva by some. It’s not a label that she recognises. “A lot of times, women are labelled as a bitch or a diva for having a vision and being strong and using their voice, and it’s just not the case. “You can be strong and be friendly. We don’t have to be just one thing.”

One of her greatest inspirations in Madonna, whose example has encouraged Ariana to stay true to her own aspirations. I have the utmost respect for that woman. I love her with every ounce of my being, and not just because I’m obsessed with her entire discography. I’m so inspired by her bravery and her strength. I can look at her not be scared to be strong.”

Her boyfriend, the rapper Mac Miller, has also been a support.

“I met him when I was 19. “We have loved and adored and respected each other since the beginning, since before we even met, just because we were fans of each other’s talent. We weren’t ready at all, though, to be together. It’s just timing.”

Ariana is excited about Dangerous Woman and is thrilled that people have caught onto it. “This is what I want to say right now. I’m coming into my own, I’m trusting myself. It was kind of a personal anthem saying that girls can do whatever they want.

“I’ve taken baby steps in expressing my sexuality in my imagery. I’m all the way there now, but I’m also 23, you know? I’m still figuring everything out, but it’s tight to be at a point where I’m having fun with it, and I don’t think that makes me any less of a role model. I think that it makes me honest.”

She accepts that people will follow her every move because she is in the public eye. But that’s par for the course and she realises she has to deal with it.

“There’s scrutiny that comes with it, but I’m proud of myself for embracing it in my art and for keeping that cute shot of my booty in the Dangerous Woman video! There was a moment when we were editing when my director, Nev, was like, “You’re going to be sad one day if we don’t keep this in.” I was like, “Nev, when I am 95, that is going to be framed over my fireplace. I’m not defined by it.

“I’m still a giving, loving person— that’s not lessened by the fact that I showed my booty in a music video. I’m a good person – and I have a cute booty. It’s a horrible situation that we’re dealing with right now as women. I feel bad for girls who go to school with a short skirt and are told that they’re asking for it just because they like to show their legs.”

As Ariana’s career has taken off around the world she’s had to become more involved in every aspect of it. “I didn’t care about the business part for a very long time. I was just burying myself in the music and being like, “Cool, wake me up when I have to sing.” Not until the past two years did I start to have any sort of business sensibility. Now I can confidently say that I run my show entirely from top to bottom.

“I realised how not OK I am with putting everything in someone else’s hands, because if I’m going to make art then I should care about how the art is going to be handled and how it’s going to be represented. I have to think about everything, and I didn’t realise it’s a full-time job. Now, I’m very much in charge, and it feels amazing.”

l For tickets visit www.ticketmaster.co.uk