HISTORY OF THE TRACK
Ariana Grande
Ariana Grande is a household name in pop. If numbers are anything to go by, she is the second most-followed individual and most-followed woman on Instagram with 219 million followers. Grande is the most streamed female artist on Spotify and Apple Music. With 20 Guinness World Records, her music career has been groundbreaking. She has been active in the public eye since 2008, so looking back at her career thus far, there are countless monumental moments. Here’s 5 of her most iconic hits so far.
2013
The Way
Grande first rose to fame as an actress, playing Cat Valentine in the Nickelodeon television series Victorious, which had its series finale in 2013. That same year, she made her debut as a singer with her album Yours Truly. The album is now certified Platinum, and its lead single “The Way” will always be remembered as the beginning of a historic music career.
The song itself, which features Mac Miller, was certified triple platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), and peaked at number 9 on the US Billboard Hot 100.
2016
Dangerous Woman
As an indicator of the fine attention to detail Grande takes with her music, the album that would become Dangerous Woman was essentially two years into the making. It was originally titled ‘Moonlight’ in 2015, with single “Focus” intended to be the lead. However, in 2016 Grande released “Dangerous Woman” as the lead single and retitled the album to the same name. This is now her third studio album, certified Platinum by the RIAA.
2018
God is a Woman
Released as the second single from Grande’s fourth studio album, Sweetener, “God is a Woman” perfectly encapsulates the tone and message that Grande tries to accomplish with her music and platform. The song has undertones of sexual liberation and female empowerment, a common theme in Grande’s activism and art.
The song peaked at number eight on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming Grande’s tenth single to enter the top ten. Similarly, the song also entered the top ten in seventeen countries abroad.
2018
Thank u, next
2018 was a turbulent year in Grande’s personal life. After ending a two-year relationship with Mac Miller in May, Grande got engaged to Pete Davidson after the two had dated for a few weeks. Mac Miller’s tragic death in September, followed by the canceling of her engagement in October, was undoubtedly a lot for the artist to handle. But true to her passion, Grande funneled her grief into her music, and “Thank u, next” was born.
The song’s main theme is about the important lessons that each relationship taught Grande, and how grateful she was despite the pain. It became the lead single of her fifth studio album, of the same name. It debuted at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States, and topped the charts in fourteen countries overseas.
