The decision whether or not to release new music during the pandemic is a personal one for each musician, but Ariana Grande and Justin Bieber decided to create their new duet, “Stuck with U,” because they felt it might really help people — not just financially, but emotionally as well.

Speaking to Zane Lowe on Apple Music, Ariana says, “We just wanted to make something fun that also helps and kind of makes people feel, I think less alone, I guess…or just can be, like hopefully somewhat uplifting.”

“I think it’s also, like, a really literally isolating time for people mentally, too,” she adds. “So we wanted to put music out because music is the thing that makes people feel good. It’s the thing that speaks most to people’s spirits, and we just wanted to lift them.”

Ari then explained that she was more inclined to release music during the pandemic that would raise funds for charity — in this case, the First Responders’ Children’s Fund.

“Doing it that way made it feel much better. And like, hopefully, it’s making people feel good. We hope,” she noted.

During her interview with Lowe, Ari also revealed that she and Doja Cat recorded a collaboration earlier this year that she “want[s] to save for whenever it’s time again, to drop.”

As for any other new music she might be working on — like a new album — Ari says, “I don’t really feel comfortable putting anything out right now, because it’s just like, other than [‘Stuck with U’], it’s a really tricky time for all that.”

“I’ve been making a lot of stuff, but that’s now where my head is at right now,” she added.

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