As a hardcore Ariana Grande fan, I am always excited when she releases new music. Her seventh album “eternal sunshine,” released March 8, 2024, and its subsequent deluxe version, released about a year later, are two of my favorite musical releases of all time. So, I was excited for Grande to continue on this more mature musical journey I’ve seen her taking, as I found it more compelling than her previous albums.
On May 29, Grande released the lead single “hate that i made you love me” from her upcoming album “petal” which is set to release July 31, and I think this new release starts the new “petal”-era in a pretty fun way. The production is bubbly, Grande's low register has never sounded better and the lyrics are completely self-written by Grande.
In this single, Grande sings about being “sorry” that she made her lover obsessed with her even though she “barely tried.” The song’s chorus seems to be a callout to the fake fans who have formed a parasocial obsession with Grande, and then become disappointed when she makes her own decisions.
The song feels like a spiritual successor to Grande’s single “yes, and?,” from her 2024 album. Both are the lead singles of their respective albums, and they both call out the fans who don’t mind their own business.
While I think “hate that i made you love me” is a strong song to begin an album with, in comparison to the rest of her catalog, it’s not one of my favorites. The song itself is rather slow, and the verses are a bit boring. After a hard-hitting album like “eternal sunshine,” I expected a lot going forward. Though it’s possible that “hate that i made you love me” will be one of the few songs that I don’t vibe with on the upcoming album like the previous album’s “true story” or “bye.”
On June 1, she released the music video accompanying the single, a horror-inspired short film about Grande’s ghost following a man (Justin Long) that tried to bury her. I think this video captures the lyrics well, with the man we follow constantly remembering Grande and seeing visions of her everywhere. I especially enjoyed the scene during the last chorus in which the employees and patrons of an entire diner are replaced with Grande dressed up as various characters such as a waitress or a man with a mustache. I think the music video took the themes of the music quite literally, choosing to depict her singing about a clingy ex rather than her disgruntled fans.
The music video also might hint at some of the song titles in the rest of the album.
During the second verse, Ariana Grande’s character flips through several journals surrounded by boxes while in an underground bunker that she was buried in. These journals and boxes have short phrases written on them like “Monsters,” “Trauma” and “Things I should have said,” leading to a common theory among fans that these could be titles of upcoming songs about the trauma or regrets she’s had in her marriage or previous relationships.
The song debuted at No. 1 on the Global Spotify charts already having over 45 million streams on Spotify. It’s possible it will debut at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, but will have to compete with other big releases like Drake’s new album, “ICEMAN,” and Ella Langley’s “Choosin’ Texas.”
Even though it isn’t one of my favorites, I appreciate the vulnerability of this track and love how Ariana is the only credited lyricist. It makes the song seem more personal than some of her songs written by multiple people. She can hold her own in writing, composing and producing, and I can’t wait to see how the rest of “petal” sounds as a result.
