Ariana Grande Finally Releases the 'Thank U, Next' Video
The wait is over, and Ariana Grande delivered. After nearly two weeks of teasers, the oft-ponytailed pop star has released the video for her smash hit breakup single, "Thank U, Next," which has broken the internet all November. The project is full of references to iconic films from the early 2000s, as well as a heap of celebrity cameos, proving Grande did not simply drop a music video, but she stands at the center of a true cultural moment.
"Thank U, Next," opens with the same footage as its trailer: a recreation of the iconic Mean Girls gossip scene, with Grande replacing Regina George. Jonathan Bennett, AKA Aaron Samuels, and Bethany Byrd, the "army pants and flip flops" girl, join the tribute to their movie, as do Troye Sivan and Colleen Ballinger. To begin the actual song, the star logs her exes into the Burn Book before parading through the halls and performance with her fellow Plastics, with Elizabeth Gillies, her former Victorious co-star, as Cady Heron. In a moment perfect for 2018, Kris Jenner is the "cool mom" filming the sexy holiday dance.
The scenes from the other three films (Bring It On, 13 Going on 30, and Legally Blonde) are just as memorable. Grande gets involved in cheerleading drama, carries around a magical dollhouse, and shows up to law school as Elle Woods, adorable dog in tow. The star even recreates Legally Blonde's nail salon conversation, featuring Jennifer Coolidge, who played Paulette in the original.
So many references happen over five-and-a-half minutes that it's difficult to keep track, but the one certainty is that this will go down in pop culture history. Grande's single title will likely remain an inspiration for Instagram captions, but maybe with a slight change to resemble the Kris Jenner finale that says it all: "Thank u, next, bitch!"
