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'I made out with a rapper in the video': Ariana Grande reveals how she sexed up her image to boost pop career in new issue of Marie Claire

Published: 09:04 EST, 15 September 2014 | Updated: 17:47 EST, 15 September 2014

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She has already earned herself the reputation as a mini-Mariah Carey (with rumoured diva behaviour to match).

Now, 21-year-old Ariana Grande has opened up to Marie Claire about how she ambitiously fought her way to the top of the pop charts in a revealing new interview.

Blaming the failure of her first single Put Your Hearts Up on people still thinking of her as her Nickelodeon child star, Ariana explains how she tried to sex up her image.

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'I made out with a rapper in the video': Ariana Grande reveals the secret of shredding her Nickelodeon image and becoming a pop diva in the new issue of Marie Claire, on-sale now

'I was like, "Guys, there has to be a really distinct difference between me and my [Nickelodeon character, Cat Valentine,'

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'And we did that with [second single] The Way. I dyed my hair back to brown. I made out with a rapper in the video,' she added.

Ariana and the rapper Mac Miller, 22, certainly put on a amorous display in the video, and the song quickly landed at number 10 on the Billboard charts.

'I made the point I wanted to make. And I was excited to do so after so many years of pretending to be somebody else in front of a lot of people.'

Ambitions to be a diva: Ariana revealed at 14-year-old, she used to ask, 'Where's my Mary J. Blige collab?'

Talking about her former good girl image, she said: 'People liked [my Nickelodeon character] and they accepted her and they thought that I was like her. So I used to pretend to be a little more like her than I actually was.'

But it seems that Ariana had already set her sights on pop superstardom, even when she was a child star.

'I was 14 years old and ready to make an R&B album. I was like, "Where is that Mary J. Blige collab? Where is that Natasha Bedingfield writing session? Where is my session with India.Arie? I’m ready. Let’s go."'

Good girl gone bad? Blaming the failure of her first single Put Your Hearts Up on people still thinking of her as her Nickelodeon character Cat Valentine, Ariana explains how she tried to sex up her image

'I wrote this song called Higher, and the lyrics were too sexual, too mature. And my mom was like, "This is a great song, but damn, you’re too young for this."'

However, not everyone has been too pleased with Ariana's diva-like personality, or her overly-sexual image.

E!'s Giuliana Rancic recently revealed that she felt the singer 'did have a little bit of the diva thing going on' when she interviewed her at the AMAs.

Changing her image: Ariana and rapper Mac Miller, 22, certainly put on a amorous display in the video, and the song The Way quickly landed at number 10 on the Billboard charts

Ariana Grande defends Nicki Minaj's MTV wardrobe malfunction

Criticism: The Big Bang Theory's Mayim Bialik recently complained she thought the pop singer was 'selling lingerie' in her racy costumes

Meanwhile, The Big Bang Theory's Mayim Bialik spoke out last week at the singer's provocative billboard adverts selling her new album.

'There is one for Ariana Grande, and I will go ahead and admit I have no idea who she is or what she does. Based on the billboard, she sells lingerie.'

'Or stiletto heels. Or plastic surgery because every woman over 22 wishes she has that body, I’m sure,' Mayim wrote.

Controversial couple: Ariana also stars in a new video with singer Chris Brown, for their duet Don't Be Gone Too Long

'Why is she in her underwear on this billboard though? And if she has a talent (is she a singer?), then why does she have to sell herself in lingerie?'

Adding: 'I mean, I know that society is patriarchal and women are expected to be sexy and sexually available no matter what we do in society, but I guess now I need to explain that to my sons?'

Ariana has yet to respond to Giuliana or Mayim.
DBGTL by DBGTL

Inked up: As the star is currently in Japan, she shared a few snaps onto her Instagram of the experience on Monday including one of her showing off the tattoo on her neck

Animal lover: She shared a black and white image of a small dog biting her designer shoes, with the message: 'tiniest pup chewin on my YSLs during an interview.... I told him it was alright cause he was so damn cute'