For weeks, Ariana Grande posted teasers for her “thank u, next” music video, further growing the anticipation among her millions of fans. And last Friday, she finally released the long-awaited video, and it was an overnight sensation, as predicted.
Grande smashed YouTube’s all-time record for most views in the first 24 hours of her video’s release. The video, a recreation of iconic female-driven movies from the early 2000s, dropped at 3 p.m. ET on Friday — setting the record in just under 22 hours.
As of Saturday at 12:35 a.m. ET, “thank u, next” had 46 million views, pushing it past the previous record holder. Currently, the record-breaking video holds over 100 million views.
Image Source
The video began with Grande posing as the infamous Regina George from Mean Girls, name-dropping her exes Big Sean, Ricky Alvarez, and Pete Davidson in the iconic “burn book.” She also mentions the recently deceased Mac Miller, but instead of putting him in the book along with the others, she sadly looks up at the sky.
While she did mention them by name, it was the complete opposite of shady and petty, as Grande’s entire song revolves around the idea of self-growth and learning from past relationships, radiating a strictly positive and empowering message.
The video then switched to a scene from Bring It On, where she looked amazing in the same red uniform while cheering on the sideline. Here, Grande and her Victorious co-star Matt Bennett recreated the classic bathroom scene. She then danced in her bedroom, just like cheer captain Torrance.
Grande also incorporated a short recreation of a scene from 13 Going on 30, at the bridge of her song. Here, Ari rocked short hair while showcasing her more vulnerable and emotional side.
Image Source
Finally, Grande recreated the look of the iconic Elle Woods from Legally Blonde. She even brought back original cast members like the legend, Jennifer Coolidge. She recreated classic moments such as the “bend and snap,” and relaxed in the middle of a football game. Ari even used her adorable dog, Toulouse, to pose as Elle Wood’s Chihuahua, Bruiser.
Grande’s “thank u, next” video has definitely been one of the best we’ve ever seen. Ari is already working on new music for her upcoming album and is constantly hard at work to top her last project. “Thank u, next” has been a well-deserved hit single for her. Despite everything she’s been through this past year, Ari has remained on top and focused on her work. I applaud Grande greatly for always being so inspiring, positive, and empowering.