The meaning behind Ariana Grande's 'Yes, And?' lyrics explained

12 January 2024, 14:34

Ariana Grande teases new AG7 music

By Sam Prance

Who are Ariana Grande's 'Yes, And?' lyrics about? All the references in the Eternal Sunshine single.

Ariana Grande season is officially in full swing. Her new single is here but what are Ariana Grande's 'Yes, And?' lyrics about?

Ariana Grande is no stranger to using her music to directly address what headspace she's in. 'No Tears Left to Cry' saw her create an uplifting anthem following the attack at her concert in Manchester in 2017, 'thank u, next' expertly reclaimed her narrative by paying homage to her exes and 'Positions' was a gorgeous ode to her relationship at the time.

'Yes, And?' is a self-empowerment anthem in which Ariana encourages her listeners to be kind with themselves and brush off other people's opinions of them. Ariana also directly claps back at people who've body shamed her and appears to defend her relationship with Broadway star Ethan Slater, as well as her dating life in general.

With that in mind, here's a guide as to what 'Yes, And?' lyrics mean and all the references and easter eggs in the song.

READ MORE: Ariana Grande Eternal Sunshine: Release date, tracklist, theories and news about the album

In the single's first verse, Ariana declares: 'In case you haven't noticed / Well, everybody's tired / And healin' from somebody / Or somethin' we don't see just right'. She then encourages her fans to ignore any of their haters: 'Boy, come on, put your lipstick on (No one can tell you nothin') / Come on and walk this way through the fire (Don't care what's on their mind)'.

As previously hinted by her friends and team, Ariana sings: '"Yes, and?" / Say that shit with your chest, and / Be your own fuckin' best friend" in the chorus. She then adds: 'Say that shit with your chest / Keep moving like, "What's next?" / "Yes, and?" Ariana is telling everyone to respond to the shit people say about them with a simple: 'Yes, And?'.

Ariana gets more personal in the second verse by making clear that she's no longer affected by other people's negativity and false ideas of who she actually is. She explains: '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'.

Like many of the best pop songs, it's personal while also being incredibly relatable.

READ MORE: Ariana Grande has rewritten the rules of pop with 'thank u, next'

Ariana Grande - yes, and? (Official Music Video)

Perhaps most iconically, Ariana delivers a 'Vogue' like spoken-word mantra in the bridge in which she directly references people who have body-shamed her ('Don't comment on my body, do not reply'). In 2023, Ariana posted a viral TikTok in which she said: "I think we should be gentler and less comfortable commenting on people’s bodies."

Ariana also calls out people who've made judgements on her character based on who she's dating. Ariana recently got a divorce from Dalton Gomez and started to date Broadway actor Ethan Slater. She exclaims: 'Your business is yours and mine is mine / Why do you care so much whose **** I ride?' Pretty legendary if you ask me.

Ariana worked on 'Yes, And?' with Max Martin and Ilya who've previously been involved in many of her signature hits including 'Into You, 'No Tears Left to Cry' and 'Break Up With Your Girlfriend, I'm Bored'.

Bring on Eternal Sunshine!

Ariana Grande - 'Yes, And?' lyrics

VERSE 1
In case you haven't noticed
Well, everybody's tired
And healin' from somebody
Or somethin' we don't see just right

PRE-CHORUS
Boy, come on, put your lipstick on (No one can tell you nothin')
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 your light on and be like

CHORUS
"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?"

VERSE 2
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

PRE-CHORUS
Boy, come on, put your lipstick on (No one can tell you nothin')
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 your light on and be like

CHORUS
"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?" (Yeah)

BRIDGE
My tongue is sacred, I speak upon what I like
Protected, sexy, discerning with my time (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?

CHORUS
"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?"
"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?" Yeah

Read more Ariana Grande news here:

• Ariana Grande calls out people body-shaming her over her change in appearance
• Ariana Grande explains why she scrapped "horrible" original Yours Truly album cover
• Ariana Grande reveals how you actually pronounce her name

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