Ariana Grande has reportedly pulled out of her Grammy Awards performance after having a disagreement with the producers over which songs she would perform.
Sources at Variety are claiming that she felt "insulted" after the producers refused to allow her to sing 7 Rings, her latest single from upcoming album Thank U Next.
The album is due out two days before the Grammys, and the 25-year-old singer has appeared on billboards across the USA promoting the show, which takes place this Sunday.
Not only will she not be performing, she won't even be in attendance. YIKES…also devastating. We'd have loved to see her perform.
A compromise was apparently reached where 7 Rings could be sung as part of a medley, but she pulled out after the producers insisted that the second song choice was theirs to make.
The source also stated that such stipulations were not imposed on any other show performers, which is interesting.
Grande has been absolutely KILLIN' IT this year, with Billboard number one album Sweetener and singles Thank U Next and 7 Rings.
Who can forget the tunes God is a Woman and Breathin' too? She's been a gift. She's nominated in some of the Grammys biggest categories, including Best Pop Vocal Performance for God is a Woman and Best Pop Vocal Album.
The story is super similar to that of Lorde, who pulled out of the Grammys performance last year when producers told her she wasn't allowed to perform a song from her second album, Melodrama, which was nominated for Album of the Year.
Ariana Grande OWNED 2018, there is absolutely zero question about that.
It's looking like 2019 will be yet another year of the Ari, after she released her pink-infused Tokyo themed music video for 7 Rings.
"Whoever said money can't solve your problems, must not have had enough money to solve 'em. They say, "Which one?" I say, "Nah, I want all of 'em" = The life we both want and deserve.
It's a badass anthem of female empowerment, and touches on her past heartbreak and current happiness as a single, but powerful woman. YAS GURL.
The track is an ode to her best friends, and the rhythm and lyrics areinspired by The Sound of Music's classic tune My Favourite Things.
"Wearing a ring, but ain't gon' be no 'Mrs', bought matching diamonds for six of my bitches. I'd rather spoil all my friends with my riches, think retail therapy's my new addiction," she croons. GET IT HENNY.
"Been through some bad shit, I should be a sad b*tch. Who woulda thought it'd turn me to a savage?" she sings, on top of a kitchen island, looking INCREDIBLE.
She's seeing the world through rose-tinted glasses, it would seem. From sexy ensembles abundant to unreal feminist themes while dancing ironically in a kitchen setting, the video is set to be a hit.
Let's examine the best Easter egg aspects to the video, for scientific purposes only. Naturally, her fans have gone WILD over the GRRL power video, with glitter and pink everywhere to be seen.
She embraces her wealth, suggesting that in fact, money can buy her happiness and retail therapy can help her to recover from break-ups. Why not, gal. Why not.
Ariana was definitely inspired by the hip-hop industry, her glamorous pink fur coat is sure to inspire fashion trends, and her new-found confidence at her hard-earned cash is reminiscent of male rappers.
Memes are also sure to be hoppin' online, we're seeing some absolute gems already:
Ari raps now? The Sweetener songstress makes her love for the finer things in life well known in the video.
From "lashes and diamonds" to "ATM machines" and "breakfast at Tiffany's," Ari lives the high life on her own terms and her own earnings.
True Arianators will notice that the intro for 7 Rings is suspiciously similar to the one included in the music video for Thank U, Next. Our gal-pal Ari was dropping hints WEEKS ago.
Her best friends joined in on the video action and are all featured as "six of my b*tches."
Ariana gifted these six lucky women to Tiffany & Co. rings on a day out in New York City, hence their starring roles.
well …………. ‘twas a pretty rough day in nyc. my friends took me to tiffany’s. we had too much champagne. i bought us all rings. it was very insane and funny. & on the way back to the stu njomza was like ‘bitch, this gotta be a song lol’. so we wrote it that afternoon. https://t.co/CoczmPj1Fo
She revealed on Twitter that the inspiration happened on a "pretty rough day in NYC", after which her besties brought her to Tiffany for "way too much champagne". That's our regular Saturday, sure.
Ariana shared at the time. "On the way back to the studio, Njomza was like, 'Bitch, this gotta be a song lol.' So we wrote it that afternoon."
Singer-songwriter Njomza was a close friend of the late rapper, and Ari's ex-boyfriend. The pair frequently collaborated, and Njomza made sure to perform at Miller's tribute concert last October.
Ari gifted him with one of the six rings, presumably as a nod to their paralleling loss.
Ariana's doggo Toulouse is renowned in the celebrity pooch world, and even ended up making an appearance in one scene of the video because he "literally wouldn't leave" while filming.
7 Rings marks the second single from Grande's upcoming album, thank u, next, after Imagine was released.
The album marks her new ability to drop music whenever she wants, a hip-hop trait which has been predominantly used by male rappers, and made famous by Beyoncé.
The album is sure to be as big a hit as Sweetener, the more amazing girl-power music from Princess Ari, the better.
