“thank u, next” video adds fun to already amazing song

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Photo via Entertainment Tonight

The obvious dedication Grande put into the “thank u, next” music video makes fans anticipate what she has in store for them with another major release.

Avery Greenaway, Multimedia Editor

Just when the Internet thought Ariana Grande’s single “thank u, next” couldn’t get any better, it did.

The fun-filled music video perfectly supplements the aura of self-love Grande encapsulates with her release.

Over the course of the music video, Ariana plays Regina George in Mean Girls, Torrance Shipman in Bring It On, Jenna Rink in 13 Going on 30, and Elle Woods in Legally Blonde.

Grande included movies that are not only lovable and extremely popular, but also relate to her release. “thank u, next” is all about the empowerment Grande gained by learning lessons from her exes, so choosing to replicate these girl-power movies for the music video makes perfect sense.

In addition to the mere concept of the video, Grande draws audiences in with high-profile cameos and even a little drama.

Grande incorporates stars from the original films, like Stefanie Drummond, the “army pants and flip flops” girl, and Jonathan Bennett (Aaron Samuels) from Mean Girls. Jennifer Coolidge (Paulette Bonafonté) from Legally Blonde also has a scene with Grande

Some of the big-name features in the video include former co-stars of Grande’s from Victorious like Elizabeth Gillies, Matt Bennett, and Daniella Monet, and others like Troye Sivan and Colleen Ballinger (known to most by her stage name, Miranda Sings). Grande even makes a bit out of Ballinger’s pregnancy, including a joke about it in the Mean Girls intro, and later kissing Ballinger’s stomach during Bring It On.

However, the most jaw-dropping cameo in the music video is most definitely Kris Jenner as Mrs. George in Mean Girls. The role is perfect for Jenner, as she is the unanimous ultimate Mrs. George because she is up day and night managing all of her daughters’ careers and being a “cool mom.” It’s truly a wonder that Grande and her team miracuously kept this appearance a secret with all of the press both the Kardashians and Grande get.

Grande not only got a lot of attention online about the video from everyday fans, but also from celebrities who starred in the films. Celebrities Mark Ruffalo from 13 Going on 30 and Reese Witherspoon from Legally Blonde tweeted Grande to share their approval of her video.

Even if big-name appearances weren’t enough to draw people into the video, Grande includes some shade in it as well for celebrity gossip lovers. For example, when Grande as Regina George flips through her Burn Book, audiences can read messages to each of her exes: Big Sean, Ricky Alvarez, and Pete Davidson.

There’s also some drama involving who was chosen and who was deliberately not chosen for a cameo in the video. Victoria Justice is the only female cast member from Victorious Grande doesn’t feature. Whether this is because Grande didn’t invite Justice or Justice denied Grande’s invitation is unclear, but either way, this confirms tension between the two Nickelodeon stars.

Fans are aware of a minor drama between the two back in 2010, while Victorious was still on the air. During an interview with Victorious cast members, Elizabeth Gillies and Daniella Monet were talking about how Grande would randomly burst out in song for fun on set. Justice famously retorted, “I think we all sing,” revealing that she felt resentment towards Grande.

The video became a notorious meme on Twitter, so it was significant that Justice wasn’t included in the video.  

With all of these appealing factors — incredible movie selection, high-profile cameos, and celebrity drama — it’s no surprise Grande surpassed 44 million views within a day of the release, breaking the Vevo 24-hour view count record.

This new video is just another example of how Grande pours creativity and passion into everything she releases. According to her Twitter, she’s planning to drop another album soon, and has already recorded a lot of it.

The obvious dedication Grande put into the “thank u, next” music video makes fans anticipate what she has in store for them with another major release.