Ariana Grande’s New ‘Break Up With Your Girlfriend, I’m Bored’ Video Has a Surprise Twist Ending
Ariana Grande dropped her new album, Thank U, Next, on Friday, February 8, and along with it, a brand-new music video for the song “Break Up With Your Girlfriend, I’m Bored.”
In the video, once again directed by frequent Grande collaborator Hannah Lux Davis, the singer is alone in a busy nightclub when she spots a handsome stranger, played by Riverdale star Charles Melton. She soon realizes he has a girlfriend (played by model Ariel Yasmine), whose vibe is similar to Grande’s, from the ‘fit to the long, luxurious hair.
After befriending the couple in the club, Grande then heads to a house party with them, only to continue to make eyes at Melton’s character. Soon, the trio find themselves in a hot tub, and Grande makes her move — but in the final second of the video, the girlfriend, not Melton, pulls her in for a kiss.
The song title, which Grande first teased on the Thank U, Next tracklist, previously sparked fan speculation that the singer was sending a message to her ex-boyfriend Big Sean to break up with his girlfriend, singer Jhené Aiko. But now some people think Yasmine’s character is meant to be a version of Grande herself, and that the video — if not the song — is about self-love. Others have accused the singer of queer-baiting and using the suggestion of same-sex attraction for shock value.
Naturally, with the release of the full album — which is, as the “7 Rings” singer had previously promised, very personal — theories about other songs have emerged, too.
“‘Bloodline’ is so good,” one fan tweeted about a particular track, which seems to indicate that Grande isn’t looking for anything as serious as whoever she’s singing to might be. “Is Pete [Davidson] the reason we got such a bop? Bc he might’ve made some points then!” (The singer and comedian split in October after their whirlwind summer romance resulted in an engagement.)
Fans have also been looking for references to Grande’s ex Mac Miller, who died of an accidental overdose in September. Grande previously told fans that a song called “Ghostin'” was about “feeling badly for the person you’re with bc you love somebody else,” which has led some fans to think it’s about her residual feelings toward Miller and her grief over his death while she was engaged to Davidson.
“Ghostin is really heavy to listen to,” one fan tweeted about the song, which shares a similar sound to Miller’s song “2009.”
Another fan expressed their gratitude for Grande’s willingness to get so personal. “It’s by far the most personal song Ariana has ever released,” the tweet read. “I’m so grateful that she decided to share this side of her life with us all.”
What do you think of Ariana’s new video and album? Let us know @BritandCo!
(photo via Kevin Winter/Getty Images for iHeartMedia)
