If the title of Ariana Grande's third solo album hadn't tipped you off, Grande has come a long way from the girl who once starred in a Nickelodeon show. Grande's new album Dangerous Woman is a mature release packed with sultry songs from the talented singer. Her sexy side is on full display and Grande achieved her goal of empowering her fans with her unabashedly forward lyrics. While I'm all about Grande being open about getting down, there is really only one song that doesn't contain any sort of romantic element on Dangerous Woman. And that song — "I Don't Care" — is the one that I think is the most important for every female Grande fan to listen to ASAP.
I guarantee you'll be grooving to this slow jam before you realize the power behind her lyrics, which the deceptively simple title almost hides. At two minutes and 58 seconds, it's Grande's shortest song on her 15-track album (although "Be Alright" comes in a close second at two minutes and 29 seconds) and you might think "I Don't Care" has a negative connotation, but it's exactly the opposite. Grande uses the shortish run time wisely by preaching how she just can't care about what other people think of her anymore.
Other songs off of Dangerous Woman, like "Into You," "Greedy," and "Bad Decisions," may be more catchy, but "I Don't Care" has the strongest message for women — and really, men — everywhere. Nearly every other song has a romantic or sexy vibe, which can be empowering in its own right, but only "I Don't Care" speaks directly to realizing no one's opinion about you matters except your own. Although she's only 22, Grande has grown up in the spotlight, so she's absolutely learned this lesson the hard way.
While you should be enjoying Grande's latest release in all its glory, here's a closer look at the lyrics of the one song off of Dangerous Woman that every woman — dangerous or otherwise — can gain inspiration from.
Used to cry 'bout some crazy sh*t beforeI used to feel so obligated to be so much moreI used to let some people tell me how to live and what to beBut if I can't be me, then f*ck's the point? No...
Considering how I obsess over people's opinions of me and cry about the pressures I feel in my life while being 30 and not an internationally known and critiqued pop star, I'm 100 percent impressed by Grande coming to this realization so young in life. Do you think Grande has enough downtime from performing to become my life coach?
I don't care about it anymore, ohI don't care about it anymoreNow I laugh about the things that used to be important to meUsed to have a hold on me, used to have a holdLike what do you thinkAnd what he thinks and what they thinkBut I love meI don't care about it anymore, ohI don't care about it anymore
Grande talking about laughing off things that used to have a hold on her is so spot-on — seriously, people go through years of therapy to gain this sort of perspective. Of course, she still has things that are important to her, but what Grande is talking about is letting go of negative opinions that don't benefit her at all. People allow themselves to be held back by fear of what other people think about them and Grande is saying that since she loves herself, that is all that matters.
I believe the lyrics of "I Don't Care" is what being confident and a diva is all about. And all women, even without Grande's superior vocals, should be their own personal divas sometimes. Listen to the track below and let Grande's words of wisdom pour over you.
Worrying about what other people think is a struggle for many women out there, but Grande's song is a glimmer of hope that you can let that go and embrace yourself. Because at the end of the day, the only person's opinion about yourself that you should really care about is your own. So, thank you, Grande, for this inspirational anthem that's so smooth to listen to. And I'm pretty sure my new personal motto is going to be, "But if I can't be me, then f*ck's the point?"
