Print Music Editor Bryony Gooch reviews Ariana Grande and Social House’s latest single
In her latest single, Ariana Grande teams up with Pittsburgh duo Social House to discuss a modern-day relationship conundrum. How do we define our relationships and, more importantly, should we?
With its understated, RnB tinged poppy sound and twangy bass guitar, ‘boyfriend’ is phenomenally catchy. Although perhaps the simple structure becomes its weakness as the chorus sounds uncannily like that from ‘thank u, next’. It is clear that the power comes in the narrative of the song.
It is clear that the power comes in the narrative of the song
Grande and Social House take on counterpart roles of two complicated people in a relationship discussing their reluctance to call each other boyfriend and girlfriend despite clearly feeling strong for one another. Grande from the beginning makes it clear she’s a “motherfuckin’ trainwreck”, and given the difficult two years she has had, her stakes in the song – and in the relationship detailed by the song – makes complete sense. After all, when you have your own emotional scars, do you really want to risk any more? It’s something we can all relate to, however; a reluctance to burden people with our vulnerabilities.
And because of this, the song takes a snapshot of modern dating; a fight between isolating ourselves through our own complexities and actually letting people in, whether they are your boyfriend or not. And that is what makes the song so captivating.
