Ariana Grande and her fans have gotten a bit of a bad girl reputation lately (for different reasons). Around the time news broke in July 2023 that Grande and her ex-husband Dalton Gomez were filing for divorce, rumors started swirling that Grande was having an affair with her Wicked co-star Ethan Slater. Slater also officially filed for divorce from his wife, with whom he shares a one-year-old son, in July 2023.
The media quickly labeled Grande a homewrecker, and she added fuel to the fire with the lyric “Why do you care so much whose d*ck I ride?” in her comeback song “yes, and?”. But it’s not the only song on Eternal Sunshine that hints at her controversial love life. Track eight, “The Boy Is Mine,” is the album’s bad girl anthem — but her fans already knew that.
In August 2023, Grande’s leaked song “Fantasize” went TikTok viral. Fans couldn’t get enough of its sultry ‘90s pop vibe and begged Grande to release it. She didn’t. But in a Feb. 26 interview with The Zach Sang Show, Grande confirmed that she’d heard her fans loud and clear and that her own version of “Fantasize” would be on Eternal Sunshine. She revealed to Apple Music’s Zane Lowe on March 7 that the “Fantasize”-inspired track is “The Boy Is Mine.”
Grande explained, “I kind of was like, ‘This is a very bad idea, I think.’ But there is a large group of my fans that really do love a bad girl anthem. This is… an elevated version of that.” She also revealed that “The Boy Is Mine” was the second track she wrote for the album.
If the title sounds familiar to you, it’s because it interpolates Brandy and Monica’s ‘90s hit by the same name. Grande’s version shifts the focus from a love triangle to an overwhelming desire for someone she maybe shouldn’t get involved with. Sounds a little close to home, doesn’t it?
Right off the bat, Grande admits that she knows she’s in a controversial situation. “How can it be? / You and me / Might be meant to be, can’t unsee it / But I don’t wanna cause no scene / I’m usually so unproblematic / So independent / Tell me why / ‘Cause the boy is mine, mine,” she sings in the first verse.
If her rumored relationship with Slater is the inspo behind this song, Grande’s letting us into her headspace before anything actually happened between them. She sings in the pre-chorus, “Somethin’ about him is made for somebody like me / Baby, come over, come over (Oh my) / And God knows I’m tryin’, but there’s just no use in denying.” She’s trying to convince us that she made an honest effort to fight their connection, but it was just too strong. (I’m not sure Slater’s ex-wife will buy that excuse.)
The chorus gives major “Fantasize” vibes with its slowed-down tempo and sexy lyrics. Grande croons, “The boy is mine / I can’t wait to try him / Le-let’s get intertwined / The stars, they aligned.” The star mention is a callback to track 4 on Eternal Sunshine, “Saturn Returns Interlude.” Grande’s ascribing a large part of her love life in the past year to fate. Don’t blame her; blame astrology! The chorus continues, “The boy is minе / Watch me take my time / I can’t bеlieve my mind /The boy is divine / Boy is mine.” I can’t believe your mind either, Ari, but at least we’re getting some clarity.
Grande continues her self-defense in the second verse. She sings, “Please know this ain’t what I planned for / Probably wouldn’t bet a dime or my life on / There’s gotta be a reason why.” I live my life by the motto “Everything happens for a reason,” so I totally get her on this. But the next part of the verse reveals that the “reason” might need to get cut off. She sings, “My girls, they always come through in a sticky situation / Say, ‘It’s fine’ (It’s fine) / Happens all the time.” Just because your friends are on your side doesn’t mean you’re in the right!
After two verses of excuses, Grande admits in the song’s bridge that she knows she’s doing the wrong thing. She confesses, “And I know it’s simply meant to be / And I, I take full accountability for all these years / Promise you I’m not usually like this / Sh*t, it’s like news to me, to me.” I’d like to point out that the Slater saga isn’t the first time Grande’s faced homewrecking allegations. Naya Rivera revealed in her memoir that she once caught Grande sitting on her then-fiancé Big Sean’s couch.
Grande finishes the bridge with her ultimate excuse: “But I can’t ignore my heart, boy.” At the end of the day, Grande actively chooses to follow her heart instead of her head. Who can blame her?
Grande made it clear that she’s playing the bad girl role her fans want to hear from her in “The Boy Is Mine.” The song might be an exaggeration of the media image she’s gained in the past year, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t some truth in it. And if I’m being honest? It’s wickedly fun to listen to.
On an album that’s largely about picking herself up from heartbreak, it’s shocking to hear her play into the rumors about her love life so boldly. Grande’s capitalizing on the thrill that comes with controversy through the kind of music her fans expect from her. The rumored inspo for the song might be wrong, but the final product feels shamelessly right.