Selena Gomez’s “Single Soon” Video References A Cold Sex And The City Split

In the lead-up to her “Single Soon” release, Selena Gomez leaned into her love for Sex and the City. It turns out there was a very good reason for that: The singer used the HBO series and one of Carrie Bradshaw’s most callous yet memorable breakups as inspiration in her “Single Soon” music video.

Gomez’s new song, which debuted on Aug. 25, is a pre-breakup anthem, and in the opening lyrics, she ponders how she should end her relationship. “Should I do it on the phone? / Should I leave a little note in the pocket of his coat?” she sings. Soon, viewers see she’s chosen the note option. Borrowing a shady breakup move from Sex and the City Season 6, Episode 7, “The Post-it Always Sticks Twice,” she leaves a goodbye sticky note on her way out the door.

On Sex and the City, Carrie (Sarah Jessica Parker) found a Post-it from her boyfriend Jack Berger (Ron Livingston) shortly after he’d convinced her to give their relationship another shot. His parting message was simple: “I’m sorry. I can’t. Don’t hate me.” It’s the exact same message Gomez leaves in “Single Soon” before we see her dancing and celebrating with her girlfriends. Apparently, she, like Samantha Jones (Kim Cattrall), couldn’t help but admire the fact that “the motherf*cker’s concise.”

As the dumpee, Carrie was not thrilled by the Post-it breakup. She was so incensed by the note that she brought it to brunch and slapped it on the table to show her friends. Later, she even told Samantha that he “left [her] in the most horrible way anyone could imagine.” While that’s debatable, there’s no arguing the split was memorable. It’s been 20 years since the episode aired, and here the breakup is, reemerging in pop culture.

Gomez teased the Sex and the City Easter egg as she promoted “Single Soon” before its debut. She announced her single on Instagram on Aug. 17, writing, “Y’all have been asking for new music for a while. Since I’m not quite done with SG3, I wanted to put out a fun little song I wrote a while back that’s perfect for the end of summer. SINGLE SOON. August 25th. Presave it now.” Her post included six photos, one of which showed the Post-it stuck to a video game controller as it is in the music video. Days later, she lip-synced to audio from Sex and the City, again hinting at the video to come.

After Gomez dropped “Single Soon,” she described it on Instagram as “a playful anthem about being comfortable in your own skin and loving your own company.” Since the real lesson of Sex and the City was that you should first find love in yourself and your girlfriends, it makes sense that she borrowed from the series.

“Single Soon” is out now.