Ariana Grande recently went viral for her response to a detractor who criticized her 2024 seventh studio album, Eternal Sunshine. On Instagram, one user wrote last week: “This is her worst era ever I’m sorry positions era was better.” The critic was referring to her 2020 record, Positions.
The Grammy winner, 31, replied: “Please go enjoy listening to it then! I’m glad you finally like it,” along with a heart emoji and “xx.” Since then, fans on X (formerly Twitter) have been reacting to her note, with one writing: “We like seeing her clock the fake fans.” Another added: “oh ariana eat them up again for me” as someone else tweeted: “queen behaviour honestly.”
Ariana Grande's Sharp Comeback to a Critic Who Dubbed Her Latest Album the 'Worst' Takes the Internet by Storm
More fans shared their thoughts on Grande's retort as one noted: "Nice response, Ariana!" Someone else quipped: "shadyriana is back" as an additional fan added: "She really said, 'idc I get paid either way.'"
Grande released Eternal Sunshine on March 8th, and the record has spawned chart-topping singles like "Yes, And?," "We Can't Be Friends (Wait for Your Love)," and "The Boy Is Mine." Grande drew inspiration for her album's title from the 2004 American film Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.
The "7 Rings" hitmaker explained on Instagram that she envisioned the album as a blend of raw emotion and engaging entertainment, reflecting her own life experiences. Upon its release, Eternal Sunshine was praised by critics for its subtle vocals and poignant instrumentals, as well as the emotional depth of its themes, although some felt the songwriting lacked polish.
This album marks her first new release in more than three years since Positions. As for that release, the title track, released as the lead single, soared to the top of the Billboard Hot 100, earning Grande her fifth number-one hit in the United States. This achievement made her the first artist to have five songs debut at number one on the chart. In 2020 alone, the song became her third to reach the Hot 100 summit, following "Stuck with U" and "Rain on Me". Impressively, all 14 tracks from Positions charted on the Hot 100 simultaneously.
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Ahead of Eternal Sunshine, which debuted this spring, Grande shared a YouTube video in May 2022. In the video, she announced her decision to temporarily sideline her music career to dedicate herself fully to the role of Glinda in Jon M. Chu’s eagerly awaited film adaptation of the beloved Broadway musical Wicked.
Following a tutorial on achieving her geometric eyeliner look with one of her R.E.M. products, Grande addressed a fan's question about her seventh album. She candidly confessed that the album had not yet come into existence. “[My role in Wicked] is going to have every piece of me, every minute, every ounce of my heart, my time, my soul, my everything that I can give it,” Grande said.
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“My hands are quite full with a lot of other ‘thrillifying’ work at the moment. I am spending all of my time with Glinda, I just was not ready.” Thus, Eternal Sunshine did surprise many of her fans earlier this year.
The live-action adaptation of Wicked is set to premiere in U.S. theaters on November 22, 2024, followed by its sequel, Wicked: Part Two, on November 26, 2025. Grande will portray Glinda, while Cynthia Erivo will take on the role of Elphaba.
The star-studded cast also includes Michelle Yeoh as Madame Morrible, the Headmistress of Shiz University, and Jeff Goldblum as the Wonderful Wizard of Oz. Jonathan Bailey will play Fiyero Tigelaar, a Winkie prince who encounters Elphaba and Glinda at school, and Ethan Slater, Grande's real-life boyfriend, will appear as Boq, a Munchkin smitten with Glinda. (We're marking our calendars now!)
