Is Ariana Grande's New Song A 'Slap In The Face' For Ethan Slater's Ex? Insiders Say So
As one insider reportedly dished to The Daily Mail this month: "Ariana's new album just shows what kind of woman she truly is. To sing a song called 'The Boy Is Mine' is not only a slap in the face to his still wife Lilly but a slap in the face to all women."
According to the source, Grande, 30, attempted to appear clever by cautioning her fans not to misinterpret the song and her new album, despite supposedly intending to ridicule Jay.
"Ariana basically rubbed it in Lilly's face that she stole Ethan from Lilly, then asks her fans to not interpret her song the wrong way," the tipster said. "This is not an interpretation. It is her literal words."
On March 8th, Grande released her seventh studio album, Eternal Sunshine. In the weeks since, many fans have been analyzing its lyrics on social media and claiming that many of the songs and themes are about Grande's current boyfriend Slater, 31, his estranged wife Jay, and her ex-husband, Dalton Gomez.
One of the lines from the eighth track, "The Boy Is Mine," that sparked controversy, was the following: "Please know this ain't what I planned for… Something about him is made for somebody like me." Another was: "The boy is mine/ I can't wait to try him/Le-let's get intertwined/ The stars, they aligned."
As reported by The Daily Mail, the insider also told the publication that Grande apparently chose to release the song as she has not had exclusive access to Slater, who is still legally bound to Jay.
"Ariana left nothing up to interpretation. She spelled it out and those close to Lilly believe she did this because she is upset that Ethan's divorce is still dragging out," the source said.
They went on: "She wants him all to herself and feels that – because he is still legally married – she cannot truly have him."
Grande's motivation for penning the song has faced reproach, prompted by previous backlash surrounding her track, "Yes, And?" Lines from the song including "Why do you care so much whose dk I ride?" and "Your business is yours, and mine is mine" have caused some to infer that the Grammy winner is unapologetic and unremorseful for her choices.
As one source revealed to the outlet: "For her to take the opportunity in her first song since all of this went down to show a complete lack of remorse for her actions is utterly disrespectful."
The insider added, regarding the "Break-Up With Your Girlfriend, I'm Bored" singer: "Ariana is dating a man who is still married. She is flaunting her relationship with a married man – a married man who has a one-year-old child at home with his still wife. Yes, Ariana has destroyed a home and she does not seem to care."
Currently, Slater and Jay are still in the process of finalizing their divorce, with added complexity due to their shared responsibility of their child, Ezra.
Us Weekly recently obtained information that the Broadway star and his high school sweetheart are "in the mediation phase" of their divorce.
Reportedly, the process involves settling custody agreements and financial details pertaining to the couple's divorce. Opting for an out-of-court approach, Slater and Jay hope to avoid a contentious legal battle that could potentially lead to the unsealing of sensitive documents.
Slater is also allegedly "eager to get things finalized with the divorce" and is now "happy" while dating Grande. However, since Slater filed for divorce from Jay after 5 years of marriage last summer, she has voiced her opinions multiple times regarding the collapse of her marital relationship. She even deemed Grande to be "not a girl's girl" and expressed that she felt "betrayed" by the pop star.
Insiders have also reportedly told Radar Online that Grande's close associates believe that she should take it easy with Slater in terms of their romantic relationship.
According to reports, the R.E.M. Beauty mogul's swift romance with Slater has caused concern among her close circle. Her companions worry that it could result in impulsive choices after she recently finalized her divorce from her ex, real estate broker Gomez, 28.
A source suggested that "Positions" artist "falls hard and fast." They went on: That's who she is [...] Everyone is telling her to slow down before she makes another mistake — but she is that girl who can never stay single for long."