Ariana Grande Reveals Private Life & Insecurities; 'It Took Me So Long to be Okay With It'

Looks can be deceiving, and Ariana Grande, despite looking composed and confident, is far from the image she projects.

The September Seventeen cover girl spoke about her struggles in the spotlight. She also opened up about her insecurities.

In the story that will hit stands on August 5, the three-time VMA nominee, shares to her fans the struggles that she had to deal with over the past year, including how she dealt with her "haters" and the strained relationship with her dad, who, she admitted to have "fallen out of touch" with.

When asked about the toughest thing she had to deal with since she had her share in the spotlight, she answered, "It's private, but it happened last year. It took me so long to be okay with it. The thing that got me there was embracing the fact that that I am made up of half my dad, and a lot of my traits come from him. So much of me comes from my father, and for so long, I didn't like that about myself. I had to accept that it's OK not to get along with somebody and still love them."

If a falling out with a parent is not enough, the singer also lost someone close to her earlier this month, and she spoke about the role that her grandfather played in her life, indicating that he was the one who motivated her to follow her dreams in music. She shared, "He was like, 'You're a star, I know in my heart you're going to make this family so proud. You're a blessing. And I was like, oh my god, and started crying, and I trusted it."

It's not just loss that she had to deal with. The 21-year-old also shared her insecurities, her biggest lesson being that it's okay not to have the answers to everything. She said, "I feel like for the first time in my life, I'm really okay. I used to freak out about everything all the time. I used to be like, 'Oh my God, somebody said this!

"Everything used to be such a big deal! But now, I feel I can handle everything that comes my way with a calm energy."

She also said that "It's tough to spend some of the most important years of your life in front of so many strangers who want to pick you apart. Insecurity has been the hardest thing I've had to overcome. I think everyone my age struggles with that because everyone strives for approval and wants to feel loved."

So how does she overcome those fears and insecurities? Grande said, "I focus on what's important."

Good for her.