Ariana Grande reflects on 'unfair' reception to 2020 album 'Positions'

Ariana Grande is a little salty over how her 2020 album Positions didn’t get the love it deserved from the jump.

Reflecting on the now-iconic album’s initial bumpy reception during an appearance on the Las Culturistas podcast with Bowen Yang and Matt Rogers, the Grammy-winning singer revealed she ended up shelving “so many things” she’d planned to release after fans didn’t immediately connect with the project.

“When it came out, it kind of… didn’t go so well,” Grande, 31, admitted, explaining that she got “‘This is not what we want’ vibes” from fans early on.

Grande, a self-described “sensitive artist,” admitted that the mixed reactions held her back from releasing more material alongside the album. “I just remember that really put me in a cage of judging every single piece,” she said, half-jokingly adding, “How is that fair?” as fans have since embraced the album.

“Now, people are just, they love it like it’s the best thing I’ll ever make,” she quipped.

Even with lingering frustrations, Grande also expressed gratitude for her fans and their passion. “It’s not mine anymore… I really am grateful for the voices and for the passion,” she shared. 

Positions ultimately hit No. 1 on the Billboard 200, with hit singles like Positions and 34+35 securing top spots on the Hot 100.