Ariana Grande is saying “yes, and?” to her haters amid her romance with Wicked costar, Ethan Slater. The former Nickelodeon alum’s new 2024 single serves as her first musical drop since her 2020 album, Positions. So, what exactly is this new track about — we broke it all down!
Keep reading for a lyric breakdown of “yes, and?”
What Is Ariana Grande’s ‘Yes, And?’ Single Mean? Lyric Breakdown
The single dropped alongside with a music video on Friday, January 12. “Yes, and?” serves as an empowering track that asks listeners to be kind to themselves and, well, mind their business and move along.
She sings in the chorus, “‘yes, and?’ say that sh-t with your chest, and be your own f–kin’ best friend. Say that s–t with your chest, keep moving like ‘what’s next?’ ‘yes, and?'”
In n the second verse she makes it clear that she doesn’t stand for other people’s negativity. “Now, I’m so done with caring what you think. No, I won’t hide underneath your own projections, or change my most authentic life.”
In one part of the song, Ariana directly claps back at people who’ve body shamed her and also seemingly defend her relationship with Ethan, as well as her love life in general.
“Don’t comment on my body, do not reply,” she laments. “Your business is yours and mine is mine. Why do you care so much whose d–k I ride?”
When Did Ariana Grande and Ethan Slater Start Dating?
Shortly after news hit that Ariana and husband Dalton Gomez were separating broke in July 2023, it was revealed that she had moved on with Ethan.
“Things had been going really well for Ariana and Dalton since they got married,” a source told Us Weekly at the time, confirming the separation. “But unfortunately they hit a rough patch a few months ago and haven’t been able to recover.”
Ethan and his now-estranged wife, Lilly Jay, had been together since 2012. The Broadway star got married to his high school sweetheart in 2018, and apparently told her about things with Ariana only “a few days before the news broke,” another source told Us Weekly, days after the July 2023 drama started.
While there are conflicting reports about the timelines of Ariana and Ethan’s respective splits, a separate insider told Us Weekly that the duo “were sloppy and not hiding it” while filming the Wicked movie.
“Ariana and Ethan weren’t careful,” the source added. “They’d hold hands on set in between takes.”
Neither Ariana nor Ethan have commented publicly on their romance, but they have been spotted out and about together on multiple occasions. Previously, the Victorious alum got candid about having romantic relationships in the public eye, especially when it comes to meeting her various boyfriend in professional settings.
“This is how I meet people — I can’t just, like, meet someone at a bar,” Ariana told Billboard in December 2018. “I live fast and full-out, and I make mistakes, and I learn from them and I’m grateful no matter what happens.”
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