Los Angeles, California - Ariana Grande has surprised fans with some "unfiltered rage" about life in the spotlight on her anticipated new album, petal.
Is this play about us?
The 33-year-old pop star released her eighth studio album on Friday, leaning into a new, monochromatic era filled with plenty of grievances about the nature of fame and fandom.
In the vein of hate that i made you love me, Ariana addresses the pressure of the limelight and confronts why heartbreak and tragedy are seen as prerequisites to good art on the album's title track.
"Tryna feel something real to cry again / They say the artist needs tears to write again," she sings.
Despite Ari's clear grievances, she sticks to polished and restrained vocals and a bouncy production style throughout the record.
As for any possible gossip the album might gleam about Ariana's personal life, she does seem to allude to a breakup – possibly her recent split from Wicked co-star Ethan Slater – in the track oh well.
"I'll meet my own needs / Though you've been trying to / Let's see who I can be without you," Ariana sings.
So far, fans seem to be on board with the pop star's newest era – no matter how many subtle jabs it may take at the pressure they can put on her!
Ariana Grande says she "didn't filter as much" on petal
Speaking ahead of the album drop, Ariana teased that petal allowed her to tap into "unfiltered rage" like never before.
"I usually am too shy to tap into that," she admitted in a new interview with Apple Music. "This time, I didn't filter as much as I usually do. I usually do a lot of rewrites and make things a little kinder. This time, I didn't."
Fans can expect the new music to shake up the setlist of Ari's ongoing Eternal Sunshine Tour, which continues with a release day show in Montreal on Friday night.