Getty Mac Miller and Ariana Grande perform on stage on June 4, 2017 for One Love Manchester, Donate at www.redcross.org.uk/love
TMZ reported today that Mac Miller’s cause of death in September was categorized as an accidental overdose: he died from “mixed drug toxicity,” and the report found fentanyl, cocaine, and alcohol in his system at the time of death. Though his ex-girlfriend Ariana Grande has not directly addressed this news, TMZ’s release did coincide with a tweet from Grande about her relationship with therapy.
In response to a fan’s tweet asking “who is ariana’s therapist and are they accepting new clients,” Ariana starts by laughing at the question, which is presumably in response to her new, ex-driven single, “thank u, next.” Then, she gets more personal, saying “in all honesty therapy has saved my life so many times. if you’re afraid to ask for help, don’t be. u don’t have to be in constant pain & u can process trauma. i’ve got a lot of work to do but it’s a start to even be aware that it’s possible.”
This morning, before TMZ revealed Mac Miller’s cause of death, Grande tweeted a line from “thank u, next,” writing “one taught me luhhh.” Miller is referenced in the song, along with Grande’s other high-profile exes. She sings “Wish I could say, “Thank you” to Malcolm, ’cause he was an angel.”
When news of Miller’s death first spread, many fans turned to Grande for response, especially since his passing happened just a couple of months after Grande’s engagement to Pete Davidson (which was recently called off). Though she stayed silent for several days, mourning his loss in private, she later posted a photo of Miller, and a video in response to the loss. The video shows Miller laughing and calling Ariana “baby” as he realizes she is recording him; she laughs in response and says “It’s for me, it makes me happy” from behind the camera. Grande accompanied this post on her Instagram with a caption directly addressing Miller, in which she says “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.” This, along with Miller’s past comments about his struggle with depression and drug abuse, prompted fans to wonder if his cause of death was related to his mental health.