On Jan. 12, Ariana Grande dropped her new single “Yes, And?” and it’s my new pregame anthem. I’ve been a fan of Grande’s music for over a decade now, and it’s safe to say that this song is not similar to her other music at all, but I’m so here for it. The song, accompanied by a house beat, is one that I need to hear the next time I go out.
But, the fun doesn’t stop there. Grande released her music video for “Yes, And?” on Jan. 12, and it is incredible. This music video really showed everybody that Grande is that girl, and she’s starting the new year right, with a tried-and-true comeback.
In the music video, Grande is wearing an outfit that gives major 90s IT girl energy. While I’m a Gen Zer, I’m a big 90s music lover, and her outfit gave me major Madonna vibes from the start, solely because of the cabbie hat she was wearing. Her outfit was very ballerina-core, which is quite different from her normal outfits. But I’m so here for it.
Fans quickly noticed that Grande referenced one of her more recent eras, Sweetener, in the music video when a staircase appeared. If you were a Sweetener girl like me, you probably made the connection to the staircase in “Yes, And?” as a reference to the Sweetener photos on the staircase.
But, it doesn’t stop there.
Sweetener was Grande’s fourth studio album, released on Aug. 17, 2018. This album came out during Grande’s brief engagement to comedian Pete Davidson. There’s even a song on the album called “Pete Davidson,” which talks about how Davidson is her “Soulmate.” Shortly after the album was released, Grande and Davidson split. However, in true AG fashion, she made sure to reference how thankful she was for him in her hit song “thank u, next,” released Feb. 8, 2019.
Other memorable songs from the Sweetener era are “the light is coming” (featuring Nicki Minaj), “God is a woman,” and “no tears left to cry.” For me, Sweetener is one of AG’s best eras, and I think AG7 is going to give off Sweetener energy. And I am ready for it.
But, I’m not the only one who thinks this. Fans on X (formerly known as Twitter) were quick to make references and connections to other Grande eras after watching the “Yes, And?” music video.
Fans were also freaking out over the music video in general. And TBH, I’m right there with them.
It’s safe to say that AG is back and better than ever. I’m so ready for this new era, and I’m so happy for her!