Ariana Grande recently released a new single on January 12th of this year. This single, “yes, and?” has excited many fans because of the possibility of a new album. Grande’s last Album was released in 2020, so this one has been a long time in the making. Like clockwork, Grande announced on January 17th that her new album Eternal Sunshine, featuring “yes, and?” is set to be released on March 8th, 2024.  

All should be well now that Grande has released a single and announced her new album. However, many fans expressed how this song sounded like it should “belong in an H&M.” A lot of her fans have outgrown this type of pop music, and it shows with the reviews. However, other fans praise Grande for trying to bring back this type of pop music. I think this song is catchy, but I would not add it to my playlist.  

In addition to this controversy, fans also expressed disgust at a certain line in her song. I can’t repeat the exact line; however, it is a jab at people who hated her during the time she was caught having relations with Ethan Slater. People were upset by her writing off the whole situation like it was the followers’ fault. Many showed annoyance that Grande was unaware or unwilling to admit how much she hurt Ethan Slater’s ex-wife and child. However, diehard fans point out that the timeline of their relationship was never confirmed, and Grande could have waited to pursue Slater until his wife was out of the picture. 

Despite the drama around this song, it has a positive message. With lines like, “be your own best friend,” and “keep moving, like what’s next?” Grande is trying to tell her listeners to be independent and forget what other people have to say. Although it is taboo, Grande did well expressing this throughout the song.  

This new single is vastly different from her songs on previous albums, which makes me excited for its release. I recommend anyone without a hate for pop music to listen to “yes, and?” at least once, just to see if you enjoy it.