Ariana Grande released her latest full album, Thank U, Next, on Friday morning and one song in particular stands out as an emotional ode to fans. Many are claiming the song "ghostin" is about rapper Mac Miller, Grande's late ex-boyfriend.
The track speaks about having baggage, being in a supportive relationship and crying over someone else. It never mentions someone who has died, but does say the person visits Grande in dreams sometimes.
Fans have found implications to Miller in lyrics like "I know that it breaks your heart when I cry again over him," and "Though I wish he were here instead, don't want that living in your head, he just comes to visit me, when I'm dreaming every now and then."
Grande responded to a fan who asked what the emotional track was about, after the artist shared a preview of the album on Twitter January 23. She said the track centers on "feeling badly for the person you're with bc you love somebody else. feeling badly bc he can tell he can't compare.... and how i should be ghosting him," she wrote.
Many fans have also pointed out the similarity in "ghostin's" production to Miller's track "2009." Though it's unclear if Grande directly sampled the track, or was inspired by Miller's slow song, the track doesn't veer far from the dreamy intro to the song, which appeared on Miller's last album, Swimming, released in 2018.
Miller died on September 7 of a fentanyl overdose. Grande posted a black and white photo of the rapper the day after his death, with no caption. A week later, she posted a video of Miller with a heartfelt caption.
"I adored you from the day I met you when I was nineteen and I always will," Grande wrote on Instagram. "I can't believe you aren't here anymore. I really can't wrap my head around it. We talked about this. So many times. I'm so mad, I'm so sad I don't know what to do. You were my dearest friend. For so long. Above anything else. I'm so sorry I couldn't fix you or take your pain away. I really wanted to. The kindest, sweetest soul with demons he never deserved. I hope you're okay now. Rest."
If "ghostin" is in fact about Miller, it isn't the first mention of the rapper on the album. Grande names Miller, real name Malcolm, in "Thank U, Next." "Wish I could say thank you to Malcolm, 'cause he was an angel," she sings in a list of her exes.
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