REVIEW: ‘thank u, next’ is the self-care anthem we all deserve

Ariana Grande delivers yet another pop masterpiece

Emma - CC BY 2.0

Ariana Grande performs at the SNHU Arena during her “Dangerous Woman” tour on Feb. 19, 2017. Grande dropped “thank u, next” Saturday night, and it is the self-care anthem we all deserve.

Claire Morgan, Editor-in-Chief
November 4, 2018

Right now, I’m in a state of mind.

In a surprising move, Ariana Grande, the princess of pop, dropped “thank u, next” Saturday night, an upbeat anthem about being thankful for the lessons her exes taught her, and how she is focusing on herself from now on.

I have no doubt this will be the most iconic single to hit airwaves in 2018 – the song’s empowering message combined with Grande’s angelic vocals is a combination no one was ready for, but should accept with open arms.

Grande has had a tough year, to say the least: She got engaged to “Saturday Night Live” comedian Pete Davidson, but called off the engagement after her ex-boyfriend Mac Miller died.

Much of Grande’s personal life has made headlines of prominent celebrity news organizations like TMZ and People due to her rapidly growing popularity – she’s had 10 top 10 songs since she started making music in 2012, according to Billboard.

Grande pays homage to Miller in the opening sequence of the song where she mentions all the men she’s dated, singing, “Wish I could say thank you to Malcom, ‘cause he was an angel.”

Though I’m not a huge fan of Miller’s music – or much pop music in general – this line tugged at my heartstrings.

I do not know what I’d do with myself if my ex-boyfriend of more than two years died. Though I’ve moved on from the relationship, much like Grande, I’d be devastated. There’s absolutely no way I’d still be doing my job well like she is, if at all.

This song shows just how resilient Grande is, and solidifies how much of a role model she is to people everywhere. If Grande can get through this, I can get through anything – from being treated like trash by dirty Vans-clad skateboarders to frustration with my generation’s lack of participation in voting in midterm elections – and this song is here to remind me, and the entire world, of that fact.

Though this passage is sweet, the rest of the song is, well, straight savage. The more I listen to it, the more I want to unfollow ALL of my exes on Instagram.

Grande uses the rest of the song to address why it’s important to cut out toxicity in our lives with lyrics like, “I’ve loved and I’ve lost but that’s not what I see, so look what I got, look what you taught me and for that, I say thank you, next.”

“I’ve learned from the pain, I turned out amazing,” she sings.

Though I’m reminded constantly on social media that my exes are all pretty terrible, this song is the uplifting reminder that I need to make it through my tough days. We’ve all got trash exes, but this is solid proof that I should reflect on what I learned from them and let them continue to be my exes and keep moving forward.

Though this is something I like to remind myself of frequently, I now have a tangible reminder.

In the middle of the song, Grande changes pace and drops some very important news.

“Plus, I met someone else, we havin’ better discussions,” Grande sings. “I know they say I move on too fast, but this one gon’ last, ’cause her name is Ari.”

GRANDE IS TALKING ABOUT HERSELF. She is making it a priority to take care of herself and is encouraging us all to do the same.

Personal growth is so much more important at the college age than being in a relationship. There is so much opportunity out in the world waiting for us to come and scoop up, and so many people pass on so many of these opportunities because they’re tied down in emotionally taxing relationships. Grande is reminding us of this exact sentiment in this song.

We should all follow in Grande’s footsteps as she preaches to us like the (female) god she is.

Grande took to Twitter Saturday night to make the message behind the song to her fans, telling us that the song intended “love, gratitude, acceptance, honesty, forgiveness … and growth.”

Davidson addressed the breakup during Saturday night’s episode of “Saturday Night Live,” wishing nothing but the best for his ex.

“The last thing I will say is I know some of you are curious about the breakup, but the truth is, it’s nobody’s business,” Davidson said. “Sometimes things just don’t work out and that’s OK. She’s a wonderful, strong person and I genuinely wish her all the happiness in the world.”

Listen to “thank u, next.” You’re welcome.

Additional reporting by Souvanna Jarvis.