Ariana Grande’s ‘Yes, And?’ Lyrics Prove She’s Unbothered By All the Tabloid Drama

The Ari drought is over. Ariana Grande returned tonight with “Yes, And?”—marking her first single in years and the first taste of her long-awaited seventh album.

Shining with dance and house music influences, the song is a clear, defiant response to the tabloid drama surrounding the singer. But it also carries a nonchalant, IDGAF energy that she’s taking straight to the club.

As the internet frenzied over details about her personal life in the past year, from her divorce from Dalton Gomez to her new relationship with Wicked co-star Ethan Slater, Grande has remained relatively silent. But tonight, she has responded in the way she does best: with her music.

She opens the first verse with an eyeroll to the rumor mill: “In case you haven’t noticed
/ Well, everybody’s tired.” And she declares in the second verse that she won’t change who she is just to please other people: “Now I’m so done with caring / What you think, no I won’t hide / Underneath your own projections / Or change my most authentic life.”

Though she doesn’t mention specific names, she alludes to the fascination with her personal life in the bridge: “Don’t comment on my body, do not reply / Your business is yours and mine is mine / Why do you care so much whose ! I ride.”

And she explains why she doesn’t waste her time addressing every rumor about her: “My tongue is sacred, I speak upon what I like / Protected, sexy, discerning with my time.”

Grande isn’t just speaking for herself. With the inspirational feel of her choruses, she seems to encourage her listeners to stay unbothered by their own critics, too. She tells us, “Yes, and? / Say that shit with your chest….. and / Be your own fuckin best….. friend / Say that shit with your chest….. / Keep moving like ‘what’s next?’”

This is far from Grande’s first time addressing her personal life in song. Tracks like “7 Rings” and “Thank U, Next” addressed her former engagement and past breakups. In 2018, she even dropped a song named after Pete Davidson, her then-fiancé. And on a blunter note, she clapped back at public scrutiny with “Shut Up,” the opening track of her album Positions.

Grande did briefly comment on the recent backlash against her while reflecting on her experiences in 2023. “I have never felt more pride or joy or love while simultaneously feeling so deeply misunderstood by people who don’t know me, who piece whispers together and make what they want out of me and their assumptions of my life,” she wrote in an Instagram Story in December.

If “Yes, And?” is just the first glimpse of Grande’s next project, there might be even more truth-telling in store with the rest of the album. The pop star sneakily teased the single last week when she was photographed out wearing a sweatshirt with the song title. Days later, she made the official announcement.

Her next album, currently referred to as AG7, would follow 2021’s Positions, which had singles like “34+35” and “POV” and earned her two Grammy nominations.

Read the full lyrics to “Yes, And?” below.

In case you haven’t noticed
Well, everybody’s tired
And healing from somebody
Or something we don’t see just right

Boy come on put your lipstick on
(No one can tell you nothing)
Come on and walk this way through the fire
(Don’t care what’s on their mind)
And if you find yourself in a dark situation just
Turn on your light and be like

“Yes, and?”
Say that shit with your chest….. and
Be your own fuckin best….. friend
Say that shit with your chest…..
Keep moving like “what’s next?”
“Yes, and?”

Now I’m so done with caring
What you think, no i won’t hide
Underneath your own projections
Or change my most authentic life

Boy come on put your lipstick on
(No one can tell you nothing)
Come on and walk this way through the fire
(Don’t care what’s on their mind)
And if you find yourself in a dark situation just
Turn on your light and be like

“Yes, and?”
Say that shit with your chest….. and
Be your own fuckin best….. friend
Say that shit with your chest…..
Keep moving like “what’s next?”
“Yes, and?”

My tongue is sacred, I speak upon what I like
Protected, sexy, discerning with my time
Your energy is yours and mine is mine
What’s mine is mine

My face is sitting I don’t need no disguise
Don’t comment on my body, do not reply
Your business is yours and mine is mine
Why do you care so much whose ! I ride
Why?

“Yes, and?”
Say that shit with your chest….. and
Be your own fuckin best…..friend
Say that shit with your chest…..
Keep moving like “what’s next?”
“Yes, and?”

Erica Gonzales is the Senior Culture Editor at ELLE.com, where she oversees coverage on TV, movies, music, books, and more. She was previously an editor at HarpersBAZAAR.com. There is a 75 percent chance she’s listening to Lorde right now.