Ariana Grande needed "time and therapy" to appreciate her teen fame because becoming a pop star at 19 was "insane".

The 31-year-old singer began her career as a child actress appearing in Nickelodeon shows 'Victorious' and 'Sam and Cat' before launching her music career - and she's now admitted it's been difficult to look back on her early music because it was such a difficult time in her life.

During an appearance on YouTube show 'Hot Ones', Ariana explained: "That’s a natural thing that all artists can relate to. There was a time when it was hard for me to feel that same gratitude that I do now for certain songs and for the music … becoming a pop star is insane at 19 or 20, and I think that experience was sort of married to some of the songs a little bit.

"Or some of the songs that are more emotional, the experience that inspired them can be married to the music. But with time and therapy, we sort of are able to re-embrace, so I feel just really proud and grateful and happy when I hear them. I'm like, 'That's a good song'. Whereas I used to maybe hear it and cry so that's a beautiful thing."

During the episode, Ariana also talked about her reaction to her music leaking online before its release - admitting "it sucks".

She said: "It's really hard for me because it's really disheartening and disappointing, and it sucks, and I am constantly trying to get to the bottom of how people get stuff.

"Whether it's videos or pictures or audio, songs ... so it's conflicting because that is very frustrating and feels very dehumanising.

"And then the other side [of me] is like, but I'm so grateful to be an artist that people care about. And my fans want more of me, so they're going to these extremes to steal and break in.

"It's so lovely to be loved. But yeah, I sit somewhere in between being grateful to be here at all and being like, 'But really? Come on'."