By Riya Srivastav, 16, Cerritos High School, Cerritos, Calif.
Ariana Grande’s music “isn’t just about love; it’s about the in-between,” writes the 16-year-old Riya Srivastav.Credit...Chris Pizzello/Invision, via Associated Press
Love in the modern age is confusing. We ghost, orbit, breadcrumb, and somehow still end up texting “you up?” at 2 a.m. In a world where commitment is optional, but jealousy is inevitable, situationships have become the ultimate emotional gray area — something more than a fling but not quite a relationship. And nobody captures this tension better than Ariana Grande.
Grande’s music isn’t just about love; it’s about the in-between — that intoxicating, frustrating space where mixed signals thrive, emotions run high, and no one wants to define anything. From steamy distractions to heartbreaking realizations, her songs soundtrack the situationship experience in a way that feels both cinematic and deeply personal.
So, should you check out these five Ariana Grande songs? If you’ve ever been trapped in a relationship that wasn’t really a relationship, the answer is yes — but be warned: it might hit a little too close to home.
1. “Boyfriend” (ft. Social House)
💔 “You ain’t my boyfriend, and I ain’t your girlfriend, but you don’t want me to see nobody else, and I don’t want you to see nobody.”
➡️ This is THE situationship anthem. The whole song is about wanting commitment but not being able to fully commit, all while feeling jealous when the other person moves on. It’s toxic, it’s relatable, it’s real.
2. “Bad Idea”
😈 “I got a bad idea … Forget about it, yeah, forget about him, yeah, forget about me.”
➡️ Situationships are often about distraction, and this song is exactly that. It’s about keeping someone around to escape your feelings, even if you know it’s probably not the best decision. That late-night “you up?” text energy.
3. “In My Head”
🌀 “Look at you, boy, I invented you … Your Gucci tennis shoes, running from your issues.”
➡️ This one HURTS because it’s about falling for someone’s potential, not who they actually are. You convince yourself they’re the one, but in reality, you’re stuck in a cycle of expectations vs. reality. Situationships THRIVE on this delusion.
4. “Just a Little Bit of Your Heart”
💔 “I know I’m not your only, but at least I’m one … I heard a little love is better than none.”
➡️ This is for when you know you’re getting crumbs but still hold on because you’d rather have some of them than nothing at all. The pain of knowing you’re not their priority but still hoping? Too real.
5. “Almost Is Never Enough”
🥀 “If I would have known that you wanted me, the way I wanted you …”
➡️ Situationships always have that “what if” energy — like, if things were just a little different, maybe it could’ve worked. But instead, it’s all mixed signals, bad timing and regret.