When Ariana Grande surprised fans by announcing the release of her sixth studio album, even one of her producers was caught by surprise.

But music whiz Tommy Brown told WSJ. Magazine that Grande’s a “guru” at knowing when to drop new material. Her latest, “Positions,” was recorded over the past few months at Grande’s and Brown’s home studios, and Brown said the coronavirus lockdown helped the creative process.

“I mean, if you ask me, I’ve been quarantining for the last couple years,” he said. But, “There weren’t meetings, there wasn’t a tour, there weren’t deadlines … There was a lot of, I don’t know what’s happening.”

He said of his preference for using live instruments: “Somebody told me once, it would be better if I knew how to play the guitar … I was like, yes, but I know the best guitar player in the world and I’ll never be better. Like, where’s he at? Let’s bring him in.”

Grande’s 2019 hit album “Thank U, Next,” was recorded by the star with Brown and other songwriters amid a sea of Champagne, but last fall Brown got sober. “I just realized, you don’t have to always drink,” he said.