Ariana Grande’s Exes Got a Preview of “Thank U, Next,” Including Pete Davidson
In case you somehow missed the drama-filled release of what’s now the number one song worldwide on both iTunes and Spotify, just 30 minutes before Pete Davidson appeared on Saturday Night Live over the weekend, Ariana Grande released “thank u, next,” a song addressing all of her recent exes—including, of course, Davidson, whom she was engaged to (and inseparable from) until this past month. It’s the first preview of the new music she said she’s been working on to “heal”—and seemingly part of the reason that Grande deleted her Instagram Story announcing that she was saying “bye-bye” to the internet following their breakup, given that she’s been tweeting and responding to some of the many memes and reactions the song has prompted since its release.
Among that tweet flurry she informed her followers that she’d played the song in advance for her two of her other exes mentioned in the song: Big Sean, whom she dated from 2014 to 2015, as well as her former backup dancer and partner in infamous doughnut-licking crime, Ricky Alvarez, whom she dated from 2015 to 2016. (Alvarez posted a video of himself listening to the song on his Instagram Stories on Monday, zooming in on his face at the mention of his name in the verse “Wrote some songs about Ricky / Now I listen and laugh,” as well as a screenshot from the Notes app tagging Grande in which he said the songs about him that she mentioned “are fire,” along with “you’re welcome” with an upside-down smiley face. Grande reposted the video, adding, “HAHAHAHAHHAHAHAH IM SORRY U GOT THE WORST LINE. It was meant v lovingly.”)
As for Davidson? It seems that he also got a preview of his mention. (His lines, “Even almost got married / And for Pete, I’m so thankful,” comes third in the stanza, ahead of “Wish I could say ‘thank you’ to Malcolm / ‘Cause he was an angel,” which addresses Grande’s late ex Mac Miller, whom she dated from 2016 to 2018, and who passed away following an overdose this past September.) According to TMZ, Davidson heard “thank u, next” before appearing on SNL, prompting him to mention Grande, whom he called a “wonderful, strong person,” after running the words by the show’s creator and producer, Lorne Michaels. (TMZ reports that he also asked Michaels for permission to cut the skit about Grande that he’d planned for that night, after she appeared to respond to the show’s promo by subtweeting him.)
Shortly after releasing “thank u, next,” Grande also seemed to clear up that it wasn’t a diss track, tweeting “no drags…. no shade….. jus love, gratitude, acceptance, honesty, forgiveness … and growth ?.” As usual, though, it seems that she’s been holding off from responding more officially until she feels like it. And, by the look of it, that could be a lot bit sooner than usual: She’s set to appear on The Ellen DeGeneres Show in just 24 hours, on Wednesday.
Related: Ariana Grande and Pete Davidson Address Breakup Through Song and Weekend Update Bit
In Memoriam of 2018’s Most Devastating Celebrity Breakups, So Far
After eleven years together as a couple, Natalie Dormer and Anthony Byrne called off their engagement recently due to disputes from working together on their film, In Darkness.
Robert DeNiro and his wife Grace Hightower recently announced their split after 20 years of marriage.
Paris Hilton and the actor-artist Chris Zylka reportedly called off their engagement in November, bringing their two-year relationship to an end. After meeting at Art Basel Miami and keeping in touch via text, the pair went on their first date—the actual first time around, since, as Zylka told W earlier this year, “I got so nervous that I cancelled and said I was sick.” According to him, at least as of this past March, they hadn’t spent more than four hours apart from each other since that first date, making it only natural that Zylka proposed to Hilton with a $2 million ring earlier this year. Having called things off, things are reportedly back to usual for the pair: “Paris will be focusing on her brand, like deejaying and fragrances, while Chris will get back into acting and art, like his gallery pop-ups with Banksy during Art Basel.”
Antoni Porowski had been dating Joey Krietemeyer for about seven years before he became an overnight celebrity thanks to Netflix’s Queer Eye, and the show’s designated food expert even said that the pair were “basically married.” Though, in recent months Krietemeyer didn’t appear with Poroski in public nor on his popular social media channels. Us Weekly now reports that the two broke up two months ago, but that they remain friends.
The relationship between Diddy and “Me & U” singer Cassie has always been steeped in a mystery. They first started dating back in 2006, but had broken up and gotten back together before. As of now, the pair have once again split.
Pete Davidson and Ariana Grande’s whirlwind relationship and engagement didn’t just set a new precedent for news-cycle domination; it also arguably broke records in terms of plain old productivity. In just five months, the pair got seemingly countless tattoos together; went through bottle after bottle of bleach and hair dye; made the trek to Staten Island; moved into a $16 million apartment; adopted a pet pig; made merch for each other; and prompted a new strategy at SNL. (On a much more serious note, they also dealt with some very real tragedy: the untimely death of Grande’s previous partner Mac Miller.) Davidson and Grande may have now called it quits romantically, but their bond apparently remains; according to TMZ, which broke the news, “the two still have love for each other.”
Brandon and Leah Jenner announced via Instagram that they would be separating as of September 2018, after six years of marriage and 14 years together in total.
Shortly after Noah Cyrus and the rapper Lil Xan made their red-carpet couple debut, at the 2018 MTV VMAs, cheating rumors reportedly put an end to the relationship in September 2018.
The short summer fling between Camila Mendes and her boyfriend Victor Houston reportedly ended with some deleted Instagrams in August 2018, about a month and a half after the two were spotted celebrating the Riverdale star’s birthday in Montauk.
The endless iced coffee dates could not keep Ben Affleck and Lindsay Shookus together after their yearlong relationship reportedly fizzled out in August 2018.
Comedians Rhea Butcher and Cameron Esposito announced via Twitter that they were “separating to live individual lives for a time” in August 2018, after nearly three years of marriage.
Josh Duhamel and Eiza González reportedly split after just five months of dating, in July 2018.
G-Eazy and Halsey split in July 2018, just a year after the couple officially began dating.
The day after the singer Cheryl celebrated her 35th birthday, and a little over a year after she gave birth to a son named Bear with her partner of two years, Liam Payne, she and the former One Directioner posted identical tweets saying that they were “sad to announce that [they] are going [their] separate ways.”
Sam Smith and the 13 Reasons Why star Brandon Flynn reportedly ended their relationship in June 2018, after nine months of dating.
Christian Siriano and Brad Walsh were together for 11 years and married for nearly two of those, before Walsh announced via Instagram Stories that the couple is officially over as of June 2018.
After just a few short months of dating, Emma Watson and Chord Overstreet reportedly called it quits in May 2018.
“After much thought and consideration we have mutually decided to separate as a couple,” Usher and his wife Grace Miguel shared in a statement announcing their divorce.
The Preacher costars quietly dated for eight years before splitting in April—just in time for people to realize they were even a couple.
After famously dating Nick Jonas, Olivia Culpo moved on to the New England Patriots player Danny Amendola, but the pair called it off post–Super Bowl.
Anderson Cooper and Benjamin Maisani were together for nine years before breaking up in March.
The pair met on the set of Step Up and have one daughter together, but called it quits in early April. Their love lives on in DVD form and countless ABC Family re-runs.
After two years and many front-row fashion show appearances, Tiffany Trump and the dubiously named Ross Mechanic officially split in early 2018.
Though they never officially confirmed their courtship, it was reported that the rappers had broken up in the winter after seven months of dating.
Rebecca Gayheart filed for divorce from Eric Dane after 13 years of marriage, citing irreconcilable differences.
Sarah Silverman released a statement announcing that she’d broken up with boyfriend Michael Sheen, stating, “We just live in different countries & it got hard.”
The Crown star and her husband announced their separation in February, stating that they haven’t been together “for some time.”
The Girls creator and her musician boyfriend broke up after five years of dating, with many speculating Antonoff had moved on to mutual friend Lorde.
In February, after six years together, two and half of which were as husband and wife, Jennifer Aniston and Justin Theroux revealed they broke up late last year.
