Ariana Grande Reflects On Her “Positions” Era And Why She Scrapped So Much Of It

Ariana Grande is opening up about her 2020 album Positions and the surprising journey it’s taken over the last few years. In a recent appearance on the Las Culturistas podcast with Bowen Yang and Matt Rogers, the 31-year-old Grammy winner revealed that her fifth album, which includes hits like 34+35, POV, and the title track Positions, faced an unexpected initial reaction from fans. 

Ariana admits that she scrapped“so many things” she’d planned to release alongside the album after sensing that fans didn’t initially connect with the music.

“That’s such a funny thing, the life cycle that album has taken, because when it came out, it kind of like… didn’t go so well,” she stated.

“I just got a little bit of, ‘This is not what we want’ vibes, I think,” she added.

The feedback hit hard for Ariana, who considers herself a “sensitive artist.” She explained that as a Cancer, she’s naturally sensitive and takes criticism to heart. “I just remember that really, like, put me in a cage of judging every single piece,” she reflected.

Despite the mixed feelings some fans initially had, Positions was a commercial success. After its October 2020 release, it soared to No. 1 on the Billboard 200, with Positions reaching the top spot on the Billboard Hot 100, 34+35 peaking at No. 2, and POV landing at No. 27. However, Ariana believes that the album’s slow-growing love has created a strange dynamic. 

“And now, people are just, they love it like it’s the best thing I’ll ever make. And I’m like, ‘What is that?’ I’m like, ‘How is that fair?’” she stated.

She also touched on a scrapped music video for POV that fans have been buzzing about since it leaked online last year, suggesting it’s one of the many projects that didn’t make it to the public.

Ariana is also looking ahead, hinting at some changes in her artistic direction. With her starring role as Glinda in the upcoming Wicked movie, set to release on November 22, she’s exploring a new side of her talent. 

“I’m always gonna make music. I’m always gonna go on stage,” she promised. But she added, “But I don’t think doing it at the rate that I’ve been doing it for the past 10 years is where I see the next 10 years. I think I love acting, I love musical theater.”

While Ariana reassures fans that her music career is far from over, it’s clear her creative path may evolve over the next decade, allowing her to explore more of what she loves about performing, both in music and acting.