Ariana Grande has certainly become one of the most talked-about pop stars during 2018 and into 2019. From her public engagement to and breakup with comedian Pete Davidson to the sudden death of her ex-boyfriend Mac Miller, Grande has had a tumultuous year filled with love and heartbreak. Although one would think that a broken engagement and the death of a loved one would not allow Grande to find love again, Grande argues she has found love, this time in herself, in her latest album, “thank u, next.”
“thank u, next” is Grande’s most personal album, as she addresses her past relationships and ends with singing about acceptance of her past and looking forward to the future where she loves herself and chooses time with her friends over finding a new relationship. This can be seen in the single “7 rings,” where Grande talks about buying expensive things for herself and her friends and how she has turned into a “savage” as a result of the challenges she faced in 2018.
The album begins with “imagine,” a song Grande stated was about denial that a relationship had ever ended, as she sings about a scenario where her and her lover are together in bliss. Many believe the song was written for Miller, as one line from “imagine” references Grande’s love of stir-fry that mirrors a line in Miller’s song “Cinderella” that Grande previously confirmed was about her.
“ghostin” stands out as one of Grande’s best, if not saddest, songs of all time. Fans believe the song references both Miller and Davidson, as Grande talks about having to apologize to someone for still crying and possibly still being in love with someone else. Grande herself confirmed that the song was about feeling sorry for the person you are with because you’re still in love with someone else, and that the relationship should end. There has also been speculation that “ghostin” sampled Miller’s “2009” from his last album “Swimming,” leaving fans to confirm that Grande addressed both men in her song.
Grande ends the album with three of her most self-confident songs, “7 rings,” the hit single “thank u, next” and “breakup with your girlfriend, i’m bored.” Through these songs, Grande shows that she has reached self-love and acceptance. Grande released a music video for “breakup with your girlfriend, i’m bored,” on the same day the album dropped, and though many fans enjoyed the video, others accused Grande of queer-baiting and depicting a same-sex relationship to create a hit, not because she identifies as a member of the LGBTQ+ community.
Overall, Grande showed the most personable and vulnerable side of herself in “thank u, next.” Grande has also managed to break streaming records with her latest album, as “thank u, next” had the biggest streaming week ever for a female artist’s album or a pop album. Grande seems to be the most talked-about pop star since she released the album, and time will reveal how she will keep rising in stardom.
