Ariana Grande—"Into You": A Song That Deserved Better

Stephen Jinku Hughes | He/Him

13/5 STARS

Simply put, “Into You” by Ariana Grande is the perfect pop spectacle. Despite Ari’s questionable choices (see: blackfishing, appropriation of Black and Asian cultures, and the spattering of other problematic behaviour), this song bops. It has everything. And I mean EVERYTHING, that was needed for a long-lasting #1 song. Beginning with a whispery vocal syncopating to a pumping synth, she “can barely breathe”. She builds up with slow snaps that seemingly congratulate the impending masterpiece of a song.  She taunts us with what is yet to come as “close ain’t close enough as we cross the line” as she prepares us for THAT pre-chorus. 

It hooks us in, giving us drama, sin, and enigmatic escapade, as the temperature rises. Ariana is creeping up on our throats, bracing us for an even grander spectacle.  She’s warning us–she’s waiting for us to make a move and then DAMN, SHE MAKES A FUCKING MOVE ALRIGHT. 

As she calls for her baby to “light her up” the club thumps drop harder, the lurking synths pulse UP,  the playful scandalous feeling rises as the production adds. And then, then, the levels of vocals RAMP UP. The booties shake. Ariana adds domineering finesse as she sings “I’m so into you, into you, INTO YOU.” She plays up the mischievous and thrilling nature of pop music that we have loved since 2003’s “Toxic” Britney Spears. 

Ariana delves into another slinky verse, seducing us with relatable quips about making “too many mistakes” and how she “better get this right” (is she alluding to her #DonutGate here? If so, we love a foreshadowing queen). But this verse is just a short slide into another fantastic pre-chorus that builds into an ecstatic crescendo of the chorus that we love. This time as Ariana delivers the chorus and THAT HOOK again, you end up enamoured with further disco-fever excitement that teases us about what’s coming up in the bridge.

And as we cross into said bridge, we have a minimisation of the beat which only adds to the thrill and drama. The pleading lyrics accompanied by the thumps of the song’s signature bassy beat build the FEVER RISING expectations, notes and temperature of the final chorus perfectly. THIS. This is where the ultimate slaps of slaps hit. The final pre-chorus continues to astound and it goes beyond pop perfection. The flourishes of powerful adlibs side by side (hah) those angelic high notes bring a new dimension of heaven to the chorus. On top of that the new soaring–verging whisper tone–belts guide us to one final repetition that ends with a pleading confessional belt to serve a new forefront of sonic pleasure to your ears.

Sin, excitement, slinkiness, and covert ops. The song feels and sounds like a romantic getaway piece of epic proportions laced with high stakes consequences. Ariana’s range of power, subtlety, control, and honeypot voice is perfect for the arrangement of this musical story. The dips and peaks of the journey steered by the smoothest of build-ups have us baited, seduced, and toyed with at every turn. Falling victim to this song is almost inevitable. The ultimate dance track that didn’t thrive as much as it deserved: Ariana’s best bop, has been cruelly and woefully undervalued.

Now, I could blame the public with its general poor judgement (I’ll never forgive the gloss over Katy Perry’s "Never Really Over"), but with some research and disdain for male musical management, I blame the likely backhanded sabotage from Scooby Basketball (occasionally known as Scooter Braun), who at the time had some management beef with her. So as per most things in life, this is the fault of men.