“Sounds essential to me"—Netizens resonate with Ariana Grande’s plea for mental health services to be made part of artists’ contracts

Ariana Grande is calling on entertainment companies to make mental health services "non-negotiable" in artist contracts.

Speaking on the February 10 episode of the WTF with Marc Maron podcast, singer cum actress seemingly echoed Chappell Roan's plea at the 2025 Grammy Awards that record labels should focus on their artist's health more.

Grande, who started off her career as a teen on the Nickelodeon series Victorious, reflected on how it would have been beneficial to her had she had access to mental health care, seeing as she was dealing with the limelight on a global scale. She added that it's good to see your therapist several times a week, noting that she wished she had access to such care when she was younger.

The internet has since begun reacting to the same with support, with several users pointing out the toll working in the industry at such a young age can have on a person.

Here's what one user on X said, for instance:

"Therapy in contracts? Sounds essential to me."

Several users joined the discourse with their own opinions and remarks:

"Therapy is good for the soul, thank you Ariana for speaking up about Mental Health," a netizen commented.

"Ariana Grande makes a great point. The pressure of fame can take a toll, and having therapy as part of the contract could ensure that artists have the support they need to cope with the challenges that come with stardom. Mental health should be a priority, not an afterthought," someone else echoed.

"YES SPILL! NORMALIZE MENTAL HEALTH! NORMALIZE THERAPY! Getting therapy doesn’t mean there’s “something wrong with you,” everyone needs therapy. Not just stars, regular people too!" another stated.

"If labels and studios truly care about their artists, mental health support should be standard, not optional," yet another pointed out.

A few users felt that these artists make enough money to afford their own mental health services. However, most seemed to resonate with the message in general and praised how outspoken Ariana was about the issue.

"It's crucial that mental health support becomes a standard part of contracts in the entertainment industry. Kudos to Ariana for advocating for this change!" one user lauded the songstress.

"She’s right, fame can be overwhelming. Labels should invest in artists’ well-being, not just their chart positions," someone else stated.

"When success comes with a mental health safety net, everybody wins," another chimed in.

"Yeah, most people don't get a personal therapist for a temporary job. Kinda feel actors are making all this much harder than it needs to be," one user stated.

The majority of the netizens felt like the singer was advocating for a cause that flew under the radar for quite a long time.

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Ariana Grande reflects on the first time she was subjected to mass criticism: Read more

During the segment, Ariana Grande said:

“It’s so important that these record labels, these studios, these TV studios, these big production companies make it a part of the contract when you sign on to do something that’s going to change your life in that way, on that scale. You need a therapist to be seeing several times a week.”

She went on, reflecting on how companies can better care for their artists' lives:

“When these people are cast in these life-changing roles, or when they get that record deal, when they get that moment, that should be non-negotiable in the contract. Because to be an artist, you are a vulnerable person with your heart on your sleeve.”

Ariana Grande also reflected on how during the initial phase of her career, “there was no limit” to the hate she was subjected to.

“I was 19 when all of that nonsense started happening to me, and it’s just a crazy piece of the puzzle. It’s something you work so hard to try and understand, and it will never make sense to me. I just love art and that’s all I care about, so it’s just weird that that’s a part of it … It started when I was so young with my body or rumors about my relationships or about my team or about my mom or about people I love. There was just no limit.”

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Ariana Grande concluded her appeal by pointing out that being an artist means being a sensitive person and constantly putting your heart on your sleeve. This leaves them open to more pain, and she requests to act more diligently to save the mental health of the artists.