There is no doubt that Ariana Grande is one of the most iconic and brilliant musical geniuses of this generation, so her new single “positions” comes as no surprise. After dropping cryptic hints over the course of the month, Ariana announced that her new single would be released on October 23rd, followed by her sixth debut album on October 30th. As an Ari stan since 2012, you could probably picture me in that moment: frantic Twitter scrolling, rapid screenshotting of rumored track lists, and uncontrollable screaming of excitement with my best friends. This was definitely the best news I had received in months.
I think we can all agree that Ariana is the queen of pop. Her capability to write radio-dominating pop songs with such hidden complexity and deeper meaning is a talent that is unmatched. Upon first hearing the song, you may interpret it as a catchy pop tune with underlying R&B flair that features light string instrumentals and an intoxicating beat. The music is sexy and captivating with lyrics to match, creating the perfect recipe for a radio hit. I won’t lie to you all, I loved it so much that I learned every word within the first 3 times of hearing it. Although it is typical of me to be dancing and scream-singing all throughout my house, you will rarely catch me dancing in the mirror and feeling comfortable in my own skin; however, the sensual vibe of this song definitely had me feeling that confidence boost I’ve been needing. I may or may not have been getting down to this song in front of the mirror and singing my heart out, but if anyone saw me, no you didn’t!
This is where the deeper meaning comes in. Despite some listeners interpreting this as an ode to Ariana’s boyfriend, Dalton Gomez, she had something a bit different in mind. On the same night as the single release, Ari also dropped a brand new music video to accompany the song. Pictured in this music video is Ariana as the President of the United States. Alongside her were the likes of Victoria Monét, Tayla Parx, and even her mother, Joan Grande, leading the country together as a powerful and diverse set of women. This was a bold and badass move for Ari, considering the release of this video directly followed the final 2020 presidential debate. I must admit, my jaw was dropped the entire time when I first watched it. I was so proud to see my girl using her platform for good and shedding light on the issues of homogeneity in politics and positions of power. Both of these things are not only extremely male-dominated, but also completely lack a sense of diversity. Ariana shows us that all women are not only capable of the stereotypical cooking, cleaning, and taking care of the home, but also more than capable of being complete bosses. Women are beautiful, strong, and multifaceted creatures who lack representation in powerful positions, and it was definitely Ariana’s intention to highlight that in hopes of one day seeing that change in positions of power.
The album positions will be available on October 30th, and is available for presave here.