.jpg)
Welcome to a new era of Ariana Grande. #AG7 is officially upon us thanks to the drop of her new single “Yes, and?,” which dropped on January 12, 2024. Grande's last album, Positions, dropped in fall 2020 and while we've gotten a few collabs from her in the interim, AG7 will be her first solo music in three years — and it couldn't have come at a better time.
Below, learn everything you need to know about Ariana Grande's newest music, including the first single from the upcoming album and the album's release date.
What is the first single off of AG7?
“Yes, And?” is an upbeat, house-inspired banger about letting go of others’ opinions and embracing yourself through and after hard times. “In case you haven’t noticed / well, everybody’s tired / and healing from somebody / or something we don’t see just right," Grande sings in the first verse. “And if you find yourself in a dark situation just turn on your light and be like / Yes, and? Say that sh*t with your chest and be your own f*cking best friend."
The new song is a breath of fresh air for Grande. It's an anthem for anyone who is dealing with a rough patch and is coming out better for it — and has had enough of external judgment. She notably mentions the negative discourse around her body with the lyric “Don’t comment on my body, do not reply.” She has spoken out about fans' “concerns” before, opening up on TikTok to put an end to the conversation.
She also hints at her up-and-down past year and the rampant speculation around her personal and romantic life after her divorce from ex-husband Dalton Gomez. She also potentially alludes to her relationship with Wicked co-star Ethan Slater. “Your business is yours and mine is mine,” she sings. “Why do you care so much whose d*** I ride? (Why?)” You can check out the full lyrics to “Yes, And?” here.
What happens in the “Yes, And?” music video?
The music video opens with snooty critics gathering to preview Grande's new music, sharing their speculations on the popstar as they wait for her exclusive presentation to begin. “I miss the old Ari,” says one critic. “I mean, who cares if she's happy? I don't want happy. I want art,” says another.
As they enter a warehouse studio space, they're greeted by sculptures of Grande and her dancers that seem to reference her past album cover poses. When the sculptures spontaneously disintegrate, the track starts to play and the real performance begins. Grande is clearly about to enter her Bob Fosse, Madonna, and house-inspired era, as she incorporates Fosse and ballroom choreography in the video. As the temperature in the room rises, the critics can't take the heat; as they sit under what appears to be a massive heat lamp, they all eventually succumb to the song's rhythm and join the choreography.
When will AG7 be released?
While speculation is high on when exactly Ariana Grande is going to release her highly-anticipated seventh album, the only thing we currently know for sure is that it will arrive this year. On December 27, 2023, Grande confirmed her album would arrive in 2024 while sharing shots from the studio on Instagram. “See you next year,” she wrote in the post's caption. We also know that Grande has been in the studio working hard with producers like Max Martin and Ilya Salmanzadeh.
The singer has shared many small snippets from the recording process over the past month, including a cute video of herself laughing on a couch after she finished the album. AG7 is not called “yes, and?," as previously speculated, which Grande confirmed on January 8 — it is simply the album's lead single.
Grande has wiped her Sweetener Instagram page and replaced it with promo for the new album, which fans believe could be named Eternal Sunshine. In the “yes, and?” music video, there's a set of coordinates in the opening shot, written on the critics' invitations. The coordinates are for Montauk, New York, the famous setting of the film Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, starring Jim Carrey and Kate Winslet. Grande commented a heart under one fan page's post about the theory, which many took as unofficial confirmation.
Internet detectives also theorise Eternal Sunshine could be a tribute to Grande's ex Mac Miller. In an interview with Complex in 2013, while they were dating, the late rapper spoke about his love for the film. “I love Jim Carrey when he’s being serious. He killed this role. Whenever I’m talking to a girl, I always tell them to watch Eternal Sunshine. It cuts deep,” he said at the time.
X content
This content can also be viewed on the site it originates from.
What's the vibe for AG7?
Red lipstick? Grande, who rarely ever wore red lipstick prior to 2023, has been wearing the shade a lot lately, even on the cover art for “yes, and?” (According to Grande, that image will also be the album cover.) That's about all we have to go on at the moment, besides the optimistic, confident themes of “Yes, and?” Its energy is very reminiscent of the popular sassy GIF of Grande on a red carpet mouthing the words, “What about it?”
Judging by the lead single's lyrics, owning her narrative and breaking her silence on the constant media speculation and scrutiny around her divorce and new relationship could also be major themes. Grande actually teased the single in early January, stepping out in a crewneck sweatshirt with the words “yes, and?” written in her signature lowercase across the chest.
This article originally appeared on Teen Vogue.
