Thank God "Thank U, Next" was worth the wait. Ariana Grande dropped the music video for her recent number one single on Friday after weeks of teasing, giving us clues about the different movies she channels in the video and the celebrity cameos that pop up throughout.
One of the first things we saw from the video is the infamous Burn Book, taken from Mean Girls and repurposed to hold the names of each of Grande's exes that she names in the song. It's less of a "burn" book and more of an inside look as to where Grande stands with the men in her life — but don't worry, there are some actual burns in this video, too.
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Let's break down who Grande calls out in "Thank U, Next" and what, if you look closely, she has to say about each of them.
Ricky Alvarez
Ricky Alvarez, Grande's former backup dancer, is first up to bat in her Burn Book, and gets a message that shows they're still on great terms. Grande's written "great dancer," "good times man," and "friends forever" around around a picture of them embracing.
Big Sean
Big Sean's is the hardest to see — you just get a glimpse of it as Grande flips a page in the video — but it has the biggest payoff. In addition to "so cute" and "so sweet," the singer has added a cheeky "(could still get it)." I'd really like to see his face right now.
Pete Davidson
Grande's note to Pete Davidson, with whom she broke off an engagement earlier last month, is both funny and sad. In addition to "I love u always," Grande's added "sry I dipped," pretty much confirming that she was the one to end the relationship, as well as "HUUUUUGE" as a nod to his infamous BDE.
While these "burns" may not seem that harsh, fans think they may have noticed some actual shade in other parts of the video. For instance, who do we think this blonde-haired boy, played by Troye Sivan, is supposed to represent?
Lmao when Ariana Grande sees
— UltraInstinct89 (@shanuddin8888) November 30, 2018
Pete Davidson #ThankUNextVideo pic.twitter.com/onF0dI7UyQ
Donald Trump
There's also a pretty significant burn to Donald Trump that Grande's mother Joan Grande confirmed in a tweet. In character as Elle Woods, the singer is reading books about immigration and refugee law. The Trump administration has been notoriously hostile to refugees and immigrants.
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EXACTLY... she is smart.. she is beautiful.. she is talented.. she is a most passionate advocate for humanity ... I love her.. #thankUnextMusicvideo # https://t.co/MDE2eIhUel
— Joan Grande (@joangrande) November 30, 2018
"like it's hard?" ... (quote from legally blonde) ... and yes SHE does, & no HE doesn't...... know anything! https://t.co/IS6Cqv0eVv
— Joan Grande (@joangrande) November 30, 2018
Catch all these burns in action below.
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