Ariana Grandegives her fans everything she has with every performance, but even for her,there are some songs that are too emotional to ever perform live. In fact, one of them, she wanted off the record completely. This isn’t uncommon for artists, as some, such as Slash, almost kept Guns N' Roses' biggest hit from even being on their debut album. There are plenty of otherswho refuse to play songs live. One band, Korn, even had to retire one of theirs because it was too emotional to play, and was better as just an album track.
At this point in her career, Grande has certainly earned the right to do with her songs as she pleases. Having entered the mainstream with Nickelodeon in 2010, she has built her empire on acting and singing. Her first album debuted in 2013, and since the beginning, she has poured every ounce of feeling into the records she has made. Her music truly tells the story of her life asshe has never been afraid to write lyrics that go to a personal level.However, that is good and bad, because as life changes, the meanings of these tracks may become deeper than ever intended.
Ariana Grande’s “I Wish I Hated You” Will Never Be Played Live
She Probably Won’t Even Listen To It
Arriving in March 2024,Eternal Sunshinewas Ariana Grande’s seventh studio album, over a decade after her first. The album was centered around tracks such as “Yes, And?,” “We Can’t Be Friends (Wait for Your Love),” and a reimagined version of Monica and Brandy’s “The Boy Is Mine.” However, a deep cut on the album that caught people’s attention was “I Wish I Hated You.” On the surface, the title is enough to create intrigue, butupon listening, lyrics such as “I wish you were worse to me,” truly made people wonder about the track.
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On theZach Sang Show, Grande explained the meaning of the song, stating:“I don’t need to pretend you’re a monster to make peace with this ending.“When you learn the story behind the tune, it sheds light on the lyrics. Althoughthis track completed her family of breakup songs, it’s still not one she’s looking to perform live. Grande even admitted that it’s not a track she will probably ever listen to, and her feelings on it make sense. The song is so raw and emotional, that it’s no surprise how difficult it could be to sing live. However, it’s a great thing she was able to complete her puzzle and get this out.
Grande’s “Ghostin” Won’t Ever Be Performed Live For A Similar Reason
It Almost Didn’t Make The Album
It is not uncommon for many tracks to be left off an album. There’s only so much room on the record, so artists must be selective. In the case of “Ghostin” from Ariana Grande’s 2019 record,Thank U, Next,this was a songshe needed to be convinced to include. During an interview with theZach Sang Show, Grande revealed that it was Scooter Braun who persuaded her to agree to it:“I was literally begging Scooter to take it off, and he was like, ‘You’re thinking too hard now. This is special, and you should share it with everybody.'“She alluded to other things she considered removing, but ultimately decided to keep most of them.
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 (And then)
And after all that we been through (And after all that we been through)
There’s so much to look forward to
What was done and what was said
Leave it all here in this bed with you (With you)
While Grande connects to all the lyrics in the song, specifically, the second verse resonates with her the most. These lyrics especially have led fans to theorize that the song is about Mac Miller and Pete Davidson, two of Grande’s former significant others. Grande has mentioned the song is about being with someone but feeling guilty because you love another person, and the other individual knows they can’t compare. However, she has never disclosed who it is specifically about. In the same interview with Zach Sang, she stated thatshe listens to all the other songs, except for Ghostin.
Some Songs Are Just Too Difficult To Be Performed Live
Some Tracks Are Just Meant For The Record
A live performance requires concentration and for an artist to give all of their energy during the time they are on stage. It makes sense why some of them don’t want to perform things that will make them even more emotional beyond the maximum effort they are already exerting. In the case of “I Wish I Hated You” and “Ghostin,” it’s clear Grande wrote these about very intimate feelings that, beyond some lyrical meanings, she isn’t going to share the complete story.
Even if “Ghostin” was her mom’s favorite track onThank U, Next, the song will live on the record, but that’s it. Grande is looking to move forward in her life and leave some of these feelings in the past. She has opened up her life to the public for so long, thatthe artist is finally taking a step back and keeping some things private for herself. The good news is, she has an incredible catalog of songs that she will perform live.
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With a music career spanning over a decade, Ariana Grande created an undeniable legacy as one of the most influential pop stars of her generation.
If you look at her current concert statistics onSetlist.fm, her top three most played songs are “Break Free,” “Love Me Harder,” and “Dangerous Woman.” Grande does a great job of mixing her old and new tunes. Plus, she has all the fan support no matter what. On Spotify, she has over 77 million monthly listeners and has eight songs with over one billion streams on there. Going forward, hopefully she continues to share her feelings, butfans all over the world will be understanding if Ariana Grande decides to say thank you, next, to some songs on her setlist.
