If you’re a fan of pop music, celebrities or 2010s kids’ television shows, then it’s likely you’ve heard about the Ariana Grande and Ethan Slater controversy. If you’re like me, you not only know about it, but it’s also all over your TikTok, Instagram and Twitter feed (I know it’s called X now, but I can’t commit to that name). But, if you’re not cursed with an endless Ariana-themed feed, I’ll explain the situation.
Ariana Grande and Ethan Slater
Ariana Grande and Ethan Slater worked on the set of the film “Wicked” in 2023. Both parties were married, Grande to Dalton Gomez, and Slater to his high school sweetheart, Lilly Jayā€”Slater and Jay were together for ten years and had a child together. According to Glamour magazine, the internet found out that Grande and Gomez separated, and just a few days later, news broke that Grande and Slater were in a romantic relationship without any reports of Slater and Jay’s separation. Slater and Jay ended up separating on July 26, 2023, according to US Weekly. Lilly Jay was supposedly “blindsided” by the relationship between Ariana Grande and her former husband; however, sources on the set of “Wicked” said the two had been seen together around the set for a while.
Grande has received ample backlash for the scandal, dubbed as a “homewrecker” by former fans and losing over 350,000 followers, according to Buzzfeed News. Despite the online hate, Slater and Grande seem to be going strong, but the pop star recently dropped a new single called “yes, and?” as a clapback to the haters. So now that you understand the context, let’s dive into the song!
“yes, and?”
Grande’s first verse of the song: “Well, everybody’s tired/ And healing from somebody / Or something we don’t see just right,” is a direct address to the people who have been hating on her and her situation with Ethan Slater. The singer presses that she goes through hardships and issues that the public eye may not see correctly (at least from her point of view), which results in the public judging her. Grande could also be addressing the pain of her separation from her former husband, but not much has been revealed about that at this time. In the pre-chorus, she says, “Come on and walk this way through the fire (Don’t care what’s on their mind),” to send the message that it doesn’t matter what the haters say to her, she’ll “walk through” the pain and backlash, ignoring their insults and opinions.
Grande sings a couple more lines and flows into the chorus: “‘Yes, and?’ / Say that shit with your chest, and / Be your own fuckin’ best friend / Say that shit with your chest / Keep moving like, ‘What’s next?’ / ‘Yes, and?'” This part seems to be a real “F U” to the haters. The singer doesn’t say she wants to fight back, deny or apologize; her message is “I don’t care about your opinions on my life.” Grande continues this theme in her second verse: “Now, I’m so done with caring / What you think, no, I won’t hide / Underneath your projections / Or change my most authentic life.” She chooses to reject the backlash and not let that define her.
The first line of the second verse indicates that Grande originally took everything said about her to heart and hinted at celebrities’ desire to be liked by the masses. It seems to be not only a financial or fame sentiment but also displays an inherent desire that she wants people to not hate her, but adore her. The singer seems to reject that desire now, prioritizing living her life the way she wants to and believes is right for her. Grande then goes back to singing the pre-chorus and chorus again. Following the chorus, she brings in the bridge of the song. She notes, “Don’t comment on my body, do not reply / Your business is yours and mine is mine / Why do you care so much whose **** I ride?” This part seems to undeniably confront the controversy surrounding the singer and Slater since the two have been dating since their splits with their spouses, to the public’s dismay. Grande calls out her fans and their parasocial relationship with her by telling them to “mind their business!”
Wrapping it up
Although the song has a fun, upbeat beat with catchy lyrics and tunes, the message behind the words is undoubtedly: “I’m gonna do what I want regardless of how you perceive me or what you say.” As much as I’m not a fan of Ariana’s behavior in this situation, I can’t help but respect her not caring what people think about her and living her life the way she wants, not the way that will make her more famous or likable. Ariana Grande’s actions serve as a reminder that celebrities make controversial decisions just like we do, no matter how famous they areā€”at least Grande can be authentic about it.