Ariana Grande has recently been the talk of the pup music industry beginning in early November with the release of her most recent single “thank u, next,” breaking music chart records overnight. In the song, Grande mentions ex-boyfriends by name, responding to the fall of their individual relationships. The bold nature of her lyrics attracted fans and non-fans alike to give a listen.
Shortly after the song’s release, the pop sensation posted snippets of the tune’s music video, building up hype for its release. Grande continued to share snapshots including Nickelodeon stars like Victorious’ Elizabeth Gillies and Matt Bennett, YouTube influencers like Troye Sivan and Colleen Ballinger and 2000s cult classic stars such as Jonathan Bennett (Aaron Samuels) from Mean Girls. The inclusion of these popular stars filled followers and fans with anticipation.
Grande’s video was released on Friday, November 30, breaking records with 46 million views in 12 hours. According to YouTube, the video was viewed by so many fans simultaneously that it briefly broke the video’s comments section as users experienced delays while posting their instant reactions . Grande alluded to iconic blockbusters like Mean Girls, Legally Blonde, 13 Going On 30 and Bring It On; re-creating recognizable scenes with current celebrities, and even adding her own personal spin on prop details.
The pop culture icon shot up on top 100 rankings and her name rapidly filled social media platforms with reactions and praise for her success. The original Elle Woods from Legally Blonde, Reese Witherspoon tweeted, “thank u, Next (heart and clapping emojis) #ElleWoodsForever.”
