“I know that all the shits’ fabricated”
– breathin
Ariana Grande’s “breathin,” the ninth track from her 2018 album Sweetener, stands as a quintessential pop anthem. Despite its conventional ABABCB song structure and the use of familiar chord progressions and motifs, the track has resonated deeply with a broad audience, many of whom regard it as a highlight of the album.
While the song’s pop sensibilities might seem overly straightforward to some, its lyrical depth and the uplifting nature of its theme offer a surprising layer of relatability. Ariana Grande herself described “breathin” as an intimate reflection on her personal struggles with anxiety. I was surprised at how reflective it is just to feel being seen out of a vexed situation. This aspect of the song has, on occasion, provided me with a sense of encouragement during moments of anxiety.
Breathin’ is about breathing when you’re anxious. It’s about anxiety and feeling like when you can’t get a full breath. It’s like the worst feeling in the whole world. It’s a song about that feeling, I was having lots of [anxiety attacks]. We were in the studio, we were writing and I was like, ‘Ugh I can’t breathe.’ And they were like, ‘We’re going to write this song.’ And I was like, ‘Okay, I still can’t breathe, but we’ll write it.
Grande on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon]
Here is a live performance where Grande showcased vulnerability and expressionism with an angelic vocal on the Ellen Show. Here is the original studio version that seems overly perfected to be boring, but its vocal arrangement is delicately clean, which is definitely worthwhile to be listen. Shout out to Max Martin (the producer of this song), this shit is real catchy.