Ariana Grande underwent a major transformation within the past few years. The former Nickelodeon star became an international sensation following the release of her debut album. Since her days singing R&B, Grande now sings songs with more edge and sass that relate to her personal life. Grande’s latest album, Thank U, Next, featured “7 Rings,” which soon became her most successful song to date. The single was the first song to be released from the album and instantly became a hit.
Ariana Grande sacrificed for her single
While the bass-heavy tune took over the charts and put fans in a frenzy, many may be surprised as to how the song came to existence. Grande’s latest album is heavily inspired by the death of ex-boyfriend Mac Miller and her recent breakup with Pete Davidson. However, “7 Rings” focuses more on the singer herself and required a different kind of effort to put together in order to be a success.
The melody in the track is taken from “My Favorite Things,” most famously sung by Julie Andrews in the The Sound of Music. The lyrics from the song allude to Grande’s success and how she’s free to spoil herself, her friends and her family. Throughout the song, the singer heavily asserts her independence and her ability to now cater to herself and those that mean the most to her. Even though the song was a major win for Grande, the singer didn’t reap all the benefits of it.
Grande signed away 90 percent of her royalties for “7 Rings” to the estate of Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein III. Rodgers and Hammerstein, of course, own the rights to the Sound of Music melody, and since Grande and her label didn’t want to make the song without the catchy tune. She and her team cut a deal with the estate, so she’ll only see 10 percent of the song’s royalties.
Ariana Grande literally bought seven rings
The singer and her company reportedly accepted the deal without any negotiation. It’s not uncommon for the singers to make these types of deals, but Grande’s deal is substantially higher than most. This didn’t deter the singer from taking delight in the song’s success.
Grande actually purchased seven rings for her and her friends with an extra two for her mother and grandmother. The singer is also known to feature many of her friends in her music videos and songs. A few of the ring-bearers even appear in the music video for the album’s second biggest single, “Thank U, Next.”
As we previously mentioned, the singer called off her engagement to Davidson in October 2018. Of course, that hasn’t stopped the tabloids from throwing Grande into stories about her ex anyway. As of late, Grande seem to be single and indulging in the luxuries that follow the level of success that only comes with sacrifice.