I think we can all pretty much agree that Ariana Grande is having a Moment™ right now. I’ve been on the Ariana train since day one (having someone tell me that my cat eye or thigh high boots reminds them of her signature look is seriously the best compliment I could ever receive), but it seems like everyone else is finally giving her the credit she deserves and recognizing the power of her influence. While the past year has been filled with emotional turmoil for the pop princess, Ariana has continuously proved that she can still come out strong from any situation. With her highly anticipated Sweetener World Tour kicking off this past Monday in Albany, New York, here are 7 things (get it, like 7 Rings?) we can all learn from Ariana living her best life right now.
Loving and Letting Go
Ariana kept the memory of her late ex-boyfriend Mac Miller alive with a sentimental and subtle tribute to the rapper at the first stop on her Sweetener World Tour. Mac’s 2016 “Dang!” was played at the venue while the audience waited for Ariana to take the stage. Hearing this definitely made my heart ache, but props to Ari for finding the time to grieve in her own way and acknowledge that fully healing from such a loss is a long and complicated process. In my opinion, her personal struggle in the wake of Mac Miller’s death and being targeted as the cause of his overdose has brought public awareness to the idea that we cannot blame others for the struggles that an individual is going through. Ariana’s decision to remove herself from a toxic relationship and the guilt she dealt with as a result of that decision goes to show that no matter how difficult it may be, self-care should always be one of your top priorities. Forgiving yourself and others for pain you may have brought upon each other should be something we all strive towards.
Turning Over a New Leaf
Continuing in the theme of self-growth, Ariana has also changed up her matching tattoo with ex Pete Davidson. Instead of going for the petty route and covering up the ink entirely, she had it modified into a sprawling branch across her ribcage. While she could have turned the tattoo into something of a slap in the face towards Pete, she instead chose to focus on her own personal evolvement and growth. Love yourself first, ladies.
#ThankUNextGen
Three days before her Sweetener World Tour kicked off in New York, Ariana revealed on Twitter that she would be teaming up with the non-profit organization HeadCount, to encourage young fans to register to vote. The organization will be setting up booths at every one of her stops on the tour that will simplify the voter registration process, particularly for young people, and make it easy for them to get registered and educated about how big of an impact their vote really has. #Queen of advocating for causes you’re passionate about.
Girls Support Girls
With March being Women’s Empowerment Month, there’s no better person than Ari to be the face of the movement. She was named Billboard’s 2018 Woman of the Year, and rightly so, as she’s inspired women around the world with her girl-power anthems like “God is a Woman” and “thank u, next”. Ariana recently broke the record for the most simultaneous top 40 Billboard Hot 100 hits by a female artist, coming in at 11 hits. Additionally, while we’ve seen her reconcile her relationships with men in the public eye, Ariana has continuously spoken up for women’s rights and given girls the confidence to know that their voice matters too. She was right there in the streets with her Nonna and the rest of us during the Women’s March, alongside thousands of signs inspired by her anthems. Make sure you let your girlfriends know how much you support them too this month.
Not to Brag, But…
I think one of the main things that get under my skin the most (and just another reason we need girl-power anthems like Ari’s) is how women being proud of their accomplishments is often seen as bragging or being conceited. Can we not give a girl some credit where it’s due? Ariana took to Instagram to show off some of the acknowledgments she’s received for her hard work and the incredible impact she’s making. Be proud of what you do and own it, unapologetically.
A Lover, Not a Fighter
After the release of “7 Rings” a lot of fans were quick to point out the echoes in the chorus reminiscent of 2 Chainz’s “Spend It” and the setting of the music video looking questionably similar to his iconic pink trap house. After 2 Chainz reached out to Ari to mention that the striking similarities made him uncomfortable, Ariana realized there had been a miscommunication where the rapper didn’t realize it was an homage of sorts to him. After talking things out and squashing the beef between them, the two paired up for not only a remix of “7 Rings”, but also collaboration on the new track, “Rule the World.”. I feel like the saying “You catch more flies with honey than vinegar,” is very applicable here. Talk about a win-win situation.
You Do You
By now, it’s clear that Ariana has a signature (and arguably one of the most recognizable) style and she’s actually gotten some flack for it in the past. People have called her out for sticking to her high pony and not opting to try out some more daring stylistic choices. But Ari has stood by what makes her happy and that’s become more and more apparent with her recent tour outfits and looks she’s been sharing to Instagram. By knowing what she likes and not letting other people dictate her choices, she’s truly living her most authentic (and happiest!) life. So while I might not be rocking a full ponytail of extensions around campus, I’ll definitely be finding ways to incorporate some of Ari’s magic in my life.