Fans have (understandably) lost their shit upon the release of Ariana Grande’s new song, “Hampstead”, as it dives into the end of her marriage to ex Dalton Gomez, and the (controversial) start of her relationship with Wicked co-star Ethan Slater.
The track was one of six to be released on Friday as part of the deluxe edition of Grande’s 2024 album eternal sunshine, and it sees the pop star reflect on the tumultuous (to put it mildly) experience she had while filming the Broadway musical adaptation.
For those unfamiliar with the lore (it’s unending, so I forgive you), Grande earned an Oscar nom for her portrayal of Glinda in the movie, but while the rest of us had cramped hands from “holding space” for the lyrics to “Defying Gravity”, Grande ended her two-year marriage to Gomez and began a relationship with Slater, who starred opposite her as a munchkin named Boq.
The supposed love triangle was the stuff of pure tabloid fodder (quite literally), but now we’ve gotten word from Grande herself, in the form of a song named after the North London neighbourhood she lived in while filming Wicked.
On “Hampstead”, Grande seemingly reflects on meeting Slater “at a pub in Hampstead” (2025 bingo card entry: Grande saying the word “pub”) and sings of “[throwing] away my reputation” to pursue Slater, AKA Spongebob, AKA Boq.
Grande also appears to address Gomez on the song, acknowledging that the end of their marriage and her relationship with Slater “seems fucked up”.
Of course, music — or poetry, as her fans (me) would call it — is subjective, so much of “Hampstead” is up for interpretation, but that didn’t stop fans from decoding other lyrics from the track.
ariana repeatedly saying ‘i do’ in hampstead as a nod to her marriage with dalton and to her wedding vows pic.twitter.com/fDVbHqDZZn
— josie (@pasthampstead) March 28, 2025
“Ariana repeatedly saying ‘I do’ in Hampstead as a nod to her marriage with Dalton and to her wedding vows,” one fan theorised.
Others thought that “Hampstead is about the media’s pov on Ariana Grande”, or pointed out how one lyric appears to be a callback to her previous song “pov”, which featured on her 2020 album, positions.
lets talk about how Hampstead is about the media’s pov on ariana grande pic.twitter.com/J9Zsrdd1y4
— annz (@coughdropbaby) March 28, 2025
Much of the internet’s reaction, however, was reserved for GIFs, since a (looping) image is worth a thousand words. Peruse at your leisure below, and maybe have some Kleenex handy.
hampstead by ariana grande pic.twitter.com/pOPobHFbiS
— paz (@ohperfarig) March 28, 2025
“i'd rather be seen and alive than dying by your point of view”
— mel 🎀 (@breathingrnd) March 28, 2025
-hampstead ariana grande
pic.twitter.com/kvwH8GmrfD
Hampstead might be Ariana Grande’s best song. pic.twitter.com/LbVKlwJHhD
— elise💋 (@justalikemagic) March 28, 2025
ariana grande in the studio writing intro (end of the world) (extended), twilight zone , warm, dandelion, past life, and Hampstead pic.twitter.com/GcEeAk9dP7
— blaire (@blaireberries) March 28, 2025
just listened to hampstead by ariana grande for the first time pic.twitter.com/ZmTBzc1BT9
— ✧ (@arianacrystals) March 28, 2025
hampstead by ariana grande pic.twitter.com/t2JMkypEoo
— eli (@kobzzle) March 28, 2025
Ariana Grande, “Hampstead” has broken me. I am not the same person I was 3 minutes and 35 seconds ago.
— Wicked News Hub (@wickednewshub) March 28, 2025
Lead image: John Shearer/97th Oscars/The Academy via Getty Images and Michael Buckner/Variety via Getty Images
The post Ariana Grande’s Spicy New Song Spills On Wicked, Ethan Slater *And* Her Ex Husband appeared first on PEDESTRIAN.TV .
