The Real Meaning Behind Ariana Grande's Off The Table
Calling all Arianators: Ariana Grande is back with another album! The pop songstress released her sixth studio album, positions, on October 30, 2020. The album comes just a year after her hit album, thank u, next. The 14-track project is fused with risqué lyrics, retro-funk, and R&B while staying true to the singer's pop roots. Fans can also look forward to collaborations with stars such as Doja Cat and Ty Dolla $ign. The project reached #1 in the U.S. Apple Music charts in under 12 hours, per chart data.
The most talked-about track so far is Grande's duet with The Weeknd on "Off The Table." The duet marks Ariana's second collaboration with the Canadian R&B singer since 2014. The collaboration was first rumored after The Weeknd retweeted Ariana's announcement of her album release in October, as reported previously by Nicki Swift. The soft ballad featuring the two award-winning artists interpolates their first collaboration "Love Me Harder," and fans can't seem to get over the emotional track. "Off The Table" delves into Grande's love life, as it appears to social media users that she's referencing her boyfriend Dalton Gomez and late ex Mac Miller. Could Grande's fans be on to something?
Fans believe Ariana Grande is in a love triangle on "Off The Table"
Separating itself from the sex bops on the album, Ariana Grande's "Off The Table" dives deep into the love aspect of her relationships. The song is a conversation of whether the "Dangerous Woman" singer is fully capable of loving someone else "the same way again." She sings: "Will I ever love somebody like the way I did you? / Never thought you'd be so damn hard to replace." The Weeknd sings from the perspective of someone willing to pursue Grande despite her uncertainty, reassuring her that he can be patient. He bellows, "I'll wait for you / Even though it always feels like I'll be number two/ To someone you can't hold anymore / If you let me in, I'm ready to give you what I couldn't before."
The beautiful duet left Ari's stans to come to the conclusion that she might be referring to ex Mac Miller in the wake of the rapper's death, and The Weeknd is speaking from the perspective of Dalton Gomez. Fans took to social media to weigh in on the song and its content. One fan tweeted, "am i the only one who thinks that "off the table" is about Mac Miller?" Another wrote, "good morning! ariana grande and mac miller were soulmates." Overall, the general consensus among Twitter followers is that "Off The Table" is a complete tearjerker. One commenter remarked, "why are y'all crying to POV? The sob track is obviously off the table!"
We're not crying, you are! *wipes tear*