After a long wait from fans, on Friday March 8, Ariana Grande released her first studio album in three and a half years. This album goes in depth about self confidence and the love journey that Grande has been going through. This article will be dissecting the lyrics and the meaning behind her songs and what her thought process might have been like throughout writing the album. 

“Yes, and?”

“‘Yes, and?’

Say that…with your chest, and

Be your own…best friend

Say that … with your chest

Keep movin’ like, ‘What’s next?’

‘Yes, and?'”

Yes, and? Is a song that bites back on haters by spreading the positive message of being confident, no matter what. Grande  emphasizes the fact that you can only depend on yourself and that self love and confidence is important; she also shows that due to the ever-changing trends and drama that continue to run our society, eventually people will move on to something new, so Grande would rather not waste her time and energy on the people that do not deserve it. 

“Imperfect for you”

“…up, anxious, too much,

But I’ll love you like you need me to.

Imperfect for you

Messy, completely distressed

But I’m not like that since I met you

Imperfect for you.”

Grande’s song “imperfect for you” is a song signifying that no one is perfect. Grande is trying to show the beauty in the imperfection in a relationship and how it can make the relationship more real. In Grande’s flaws, she is giving the idea that her relationship is helping her be a better version of herself, for her and her partner. She is also explaining that even when her relationship is going through a tough time, she and her partner will always be there for each other. 

“We can’t be friends” 

“Know that you made me 

I don’t like how you paint me, yet I’m still here hanging

Not what you made me 

It’s somethin’ like a daydream 

But I feel so seen in the night 

So for now, it’s only me 

And maybe that’s all I need.”

The song “We can’t be friends” shows the regret and heartbreak that Grande feels about her past relationship. She knows that she wants to get back with her past significant other, but she knows that it probably will not happen considering how it ended in the past. Grande sees how she is being seen in a bad light, leaving her alone, and she is finally recognizing that this may be for the best. 

“I don’t want to break up again”

“I don’t wanna f*** with your head

It’s breaking my heart

To keep breaking yours again

This situationship has to end

But I just can’t refuse

I don’t wanna break up again.”

This song shows how Grande broke someone’s heart, but she still has feelings for this person. She is still friends with this person and wants to be in a relationship with them again, but she still feels like she will break his heart like she did before. Facing this, she feels like she will have to say goodbye to him even though she would prefer not to. 

“True story” 

“This is a true story about all the lies

You fantasized

‘Bout you and I

This is a true story about all the games

I know you play.”

“True story” shows how she was betrayed by someone she knows. In the song, Grande is restating what the person did such as creating lies about her and wishing for her downfall. She claps back at this by stating that she will do a good job being hated and that she cannot relate to this,  basically saying that she is better than she is being made to be and that she loves herself. She finishes off by repeating “Give me love” but later stating that it will never happen to her. This shows the different obstacles and challenges that are coming in her way of falling in love. 

“I wish I hated you” 

“But no matter how I try to (mm)

And no matter how I want to (mm)

And no matter how easy things could be if I did

And no matter how guilty, I still feel saying it

I wish I hated you

I wish that weren’t true

Wish there was worse to you

I wish you were worse to me

Yeah, I wish I hated you.”

This song shows a deep and personal connection that Grande has for someone. It seems like she is trying to push back her feelings that she is developing inside, but she can’t, which is why she says that she wishes that she hated them. It could be a possible hint to how she was in a relationship that ended badly, but she still has feelings for the person as well. Whatever it is, the song definitely shows growing unwanted feelings and passion for someone. 

—

Even though Grande has not put out an album in almost three and a half years, it is evident that she did not lose any of her songwriting talent. All of the 12 songs build the deep message that Grande is trying to develop, even though there are only six here. Through Grande’s lyrics, vocals, and messages, it is clear that she has a deep love and passion for songwriting and singing.