It's safe to say that Ariana Grande has had a very, very hard year. She not only broke off her engagement to Pete Davidson, but she lost her ex boyfriend Mac Miller to an overdose. But career wise? She's absolutely killing it. She released her new album Sweetener this past August, which has surpassed a ton of records. We all know Ariana gets bored easily, so she started releasing songs not from her album as singles. One of which she released last night, which is called Imagine.
Ariana Grande has been teasing this song for a while. When her hit song Thank U, Next music video came out, she tweeted her manager Scooter Braun asking if she could release another single because she 'was bored'. Iconic. Ariana Grande has the most loyal fans, and even if she doesn't mention names in her song, they know what it's about. This time is no different.
Imagine, which is the song that dropped last night, gives subtle hints to make fans think this one is solely about her late ex Mac Miller. Not only are some lyrics from his old songs, but he even had a huge tattoo on his arm that spelt out 'imagine'.
CURIOSITY: Did you know that Mac Miller had a tattoo with the same name as Ariana Grande's "#imagine" song?#imaginetonight pic.twitter.com/fql2S0RfNW
@arianagrandeREAD MORE: These Are All Of The Hidden Messages You Missed In Ariana Grande's 'Thank U, Next' Music Video
The song has a lot of lyrics that could stand out as a tribute to Mac Miller. In the song by Mac Miller called Cinderella, there is a lyric that says, "And when you hungry I can shut you up with stir fry." And in Imagine, Ariana sings, "Staying up all night, order me pad Thai". Could be just a coincidence, but definitely not.
Ariana also revealed to her Twitter followers before she released the song that if Thank U, Next means acceptance, then Imagine means denial. In the song she keeps singing over and over again "Imagine a world like that", while talking about memories with someone. I think it's safe to say that this song is about the denial of Mac's passing, and she's trying to imagine a world where he is still alive.
Mac Miller and Ariana Grande dated from 2016 to 2018, and were still best friends after. A few days after his passing in September, she posted a tribute to him, and she even mentioned him in her latest hit Thank U, Next saying, "Wish I could say thank you to Malcolm, 'cause he was an angel".
Quebec Premier Paul St-Pierre Plamondon, centre, applauds with Parti Québécois elected members following a swearing in ceremony at the legislature in Quebec City, Thursday, Oct. 15, 2026.
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jacques Boissinot
This composite of handout images shows Canadian Armed Forces members, left to right, Pte. Hayden Lykkemark, Pte. Shaun Farrell, Pte. Aidan Goulding and Sgt. Morgan Wong, who died during a training exercise at CFB Wainwright on Saturday, Oct. 17, 2026.
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Handout — Facebook, Nadine Dunford; Patricia Farrell; Wylder Goulding; Canadian Armed Forces (Mandatory Credit)
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith arrives to speak during a news conference in Calgary, Alta., Friday, May 22, 2026.
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A recent paper by the Quebec English-speaking Communities Research Network, which operates out of Concordia University in Montreal, shows that young English-speaking adults are more likely to leave Quebec. The CHU de Quebec, Université Laval, Hotel Dieu de Quebec hospital top right, Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2024 in Quebec City.
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jacques Boissinot