A Much-Anticipated Comeback: Ariana Grande Returns with ‘yes, and?’

Ariana has just made a much-anticipated return with her first solo single, ‘yes, and?’ since her sixth studio album ‘Positions’ in Oct 2020. Earlier this week, the singer teased her single on social media, resulting in an immediate frenzy of fanfare online.

In 2023, Ariana also shared photos of herself in the studio working on her upcoming song, and interestingly enough, she stated that last year was one of her most transformational and equally challenging years, ‘One of the most transformative, most challenging, and yet happiest and most special years of my life’.

The ups and downs of 2023 certainly come to the forefront in ‘yes, and?’. In the song, Ariana asks not to make remarks about her physique, ‘don’t comment on my body, do not reply’. This adds another dimension to her lyricism and emphasises her desire for a focus beyond physical appearance. The ballroom-style song is inspired by Madonna’s ‘Vogue’ and transports listeners to the 1980s. This influence is not only evident in the song but is also vividly portrayed in the music video. It is as though Ari is reinventing herself, and by doing so, reclaiming her narrative from her critics.

© Katia Temkin

You can also listen to the song HERE.