The following is an edition of Mac’s Tracks, The Mirror’s music column. All views, thoughts and opinions belong solely to the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Drury Mirror. 

For all my defense of pop music, I will admit it is rarely my go-to genre. I am often woefully out of touch with up-and-coming artists and resent listening to pop stations. For the last several days, however, I have been unable to get “thank u, next” out of my head.

This Thanksgiving, Ariana Grande is reminding us to be thankful for more than her gifts to the Top 40 charts; she is reminding us to appreciate ourselves and our growth.

“thank u, next” is Grande’s newest single, dropping 30 minutes before the premiere of the Nov. 3 episode of “Saturday Night Live.” Pete Davidson, an SNL cast member and Grande’s now ex-fiancé, received heat via Twitter from the singer earlier that evening for a promotional clip for the show wherein Davidson jokingly proposed to Maggie Rogers. The relationship between Davidson and Grande was short-lived and explosive, dominating pop culture and SNL skits for months: from their first photos together to their engagement to their eventual break-up. Although many are quick to say “I told you so” because they did not last, Grande does not seem to have any regrets.

Far from being the diss track everyone was expecting, “thank u, next” mentions Pete only once (a step down from the self-titled song he received on “Sweetener”). Grande opens by listing her exes yet has not one bad word against them. Her signature dreamy drawl floats through the lyrics with a sense of poise and acceptance of her past. She is not defined by these past relationships or bitter about their ends.

The second verse sees Grande explaining that she has already moved on, that she’s “having better discussions.” But the person she is talking about is herself: “’Cause her name is Ari / and I’m so good with that.”

The song highlights an important lesson: not everyone who comes into your life is meant to stay. It is okay to let go and leave a relationship in the past while remaining grateful for what it taught or brought you. The college atmosphere stresses finding a relationship along with choosing your major, career and future, but sometimes it is better to look inward for love rather than to a romantic partner. Everyone has more time than they think they do, and that time can be used treating ourselves better.

In a world that is increasingly petty, where lashing out to temporarily feel better usurps reflecting and taking things in stride, Grande’s song is a brief relief. Her personal resilience is nothing short of remarkable, either. After a terrorist attack at her 2017 concert in Manchester and the death of her ex-boyfriend Mac Miller, she continues to keep her head up while refusing to hide from the media. She held the relief event, One Love Manchester, only two weeks after the bombing, and handled Miller’s passing with grace and love even in the face of those who sought to blame her for it.

Rarely do people exist solely to bring us pain. Even though a flame may have faded, or a person is no longer in your life, they still influenced and shaped you into the person you are today. Sometimes all we can do is say, “thank you, next” and keep going forward.

Grande will release her fifth studio album, also titled “thank u, next” later this year.

Written by Maclen Johnson.