Given the timing of its release – it’s 11 days, in case you need reminding, until America goes to the polls – and the accompanying video, you would be forgiven for thinking Ariana Grande’s Positions is a direct statement about the upcoming elections, in the vein of Demi Lovato’s coruscating Commander in Chief.
After all, the video features the 27-year-old singer as US president, chairing cabinet meetings, holding press conferences and walking dogs on the White House lawn – and she makes some fine political jabs. The meeting she chairs features a distinctly more diverse cabinet than has ever existed in the White House; from the imagery, you could derive a general message that a woman could do a better job than the current incumbent; she hands out medals to postal workers, whose service Trump has been hampering.
The overall thrust is that society expects women to multitask in a way that men are not expected to – we see Grande covertly swigging from a bottle of wine as she attempts to balance her working life with her duties in the kitchen. If you were inclined, you could draw a parallel with Arlie Hochschild and Anne Machung’s study of attitudes to gender divisions in the household, The Second Shift.
But perhaps that’s gilding the lily a bit. After all, the song suggests that its protagonist is happy to multitask, as it displays her devotion to the object of her affections. Or as Grande puts it: “This some shit that I usually don’t do, but for you I kinda want to.” Meanwhile, the music – produced by Young Thug collaborator London On Da Track with long-term Grande collaborators Mr Franks and Tommy Brown – is low-key, if hooky and melodically strong pop-R&B, rather than the blockbusting eyes-on-stalks pop of Rain on Me, her Lady Gaga collaboration.
This fits with her other recent releases and perhaps tells you something about the strength of the commercial position Grande currently finds herself in. So famous she doesn’t need bells and whistles to attract attention, she has increasingly made a certain kind of musical understatement her brand while making laudably big political statements on social media – as well as in this new music video, currently getting well over a million views an hour.
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After all, the video features the 27-year-old singer as US president, chairing cabinet meetings, holding press conferences and walking dogs on the White House lawn – and she makes some fine political jabs. The meeting she chairs features a distinctly more diverse cabinet than has ever existed in the White House; from the imagery, you could derive a general message that a woman could do a better job than the current incumbent; she hands out medals to postal workers, whose service Trump has been hampering.
The overall thrust is that society expects women to multitask in a way that men are not expected to – we see Grande covertly swigging from a bottle of wine as she attempts to balance her working life with her duties in the kitchen. If you were inclined, you could draw a parallel with Arlie Hochschild and Anne Machung’s study of attitudes to gender divisions in the household, The Second Shift.
But perhaps that’s gilding the lily a bit. After all, the song suggests that its protagonist is happy to multitask, as it displays her devotion to the object of her affections. Or as Grande puts it: “This some shit that I usually don’t do, but for you I kinda want to.” Meanwhile, the music – produced by Young Thug collaborator London On Da Track with long-term Grande collaborators Mr Franks and Tommy Brown – is low-key, if hooky and melodically strong pop-R&B, rather than the blockbusting eyes-on-stalks pop of Rain on Me, her Lady Gaga collaboration.
This fits with her other recent releases and perhaps tells you something about the strength of the commercial position Grande currently finds herself in. So famous she doesn’t need bells and whistles to attract attention, she has increasingly made a certain kind of musical understatement her brand while making laudably big political statements on social media – as well as in this new music video, currently getting well over a million views an hour.
Since you’re here ...… joining us from Canada, we have a small favour to ask. Millions are flocking to the Guardian for open, independent, quality news every day, and readers in 180 countries around the world now support us financially.
We believe everyone deserves access to information that’s grounded in science and truth, and analysis rooted in authority and integrity. That’s why we made a different choice: to keep our reporting open for all readers, regardless of where they live or what they can afford to pay. This means more people can be better informed, and inspired to take meaningful action.
In these perilous times, an independent, truth-seeking global news organisation like the Guardian is essential. We have no shareholders or billionaire owner, meaning our journalism is free from commercial and political bias – this makes us different to many others. We can investigate and report without fear or favour.
Amid the various crises of 2020, we recognise the climate crisis as the defining emergency of our lifetimes. We’re determined to uphold our reputation for producing powerful, high-impact environmental journalism that reflects the urgency of the crisis. And when it’s never been more pertinent, our independence means we can scrutinise, challenge and expose those in power on their climate policies and decisions.
A year ago we also published a climate pledge, outlining the steps we promised to take in service of the escalating emergency. And we’ve made good institutional progress since: we no longer accept advertising from fossil fuel companies, making us the first global news organisation to do so, and we’re on course to achieve net zero emissions by 2030.
If there were ever a time to join us, it is now. Your funding powers our journalism, it protects our independence, and ensures we can remain open for all. You can support us through these challenging economic times and enable real-world impact.
Every contribution, however big or small, makes a real difference for our future. Support the Guardian from as little as CA$1 – and it only takes a minute. Thank you.
