Fans Think The Weeknd Is Singing About An Affair With Ariana Grande In His New Song
Now this is a spicy theory!
The Weeknd’s Dawn FM debuted on Friday, Jan. 7, and people have a lot to say about it. Specifically, a spicy fan theory claims that The Weeknd’s “I Heard You’re Married” is about Ariana Grande. Here are all the deets fueling the theory about the track, because it’s pretty wild.
Anytime The Weeknd drops new music, fans are quick to point out possible references to his love life hidden in the lyrics. Dawn FM is no exception, and there are already theories about certain love songs possibly referencing the singer’s rumored romance with Angelina Jolie. But it’s another song really has everyone talking.
One moody track’s title, “I Heard You’re Married,” is already a thought-provoking phrase that’s likely to raise some eyebrows. However, it’s not until you dive into the lyrics that you get the full scope of its meaning, and fans think it could be pointing to an affair with Grande. As you’ll remember, the pair collaborated on The Weeknd’s “Save Your Tears” remix in 2021 (the original track from his 2020 album After Hours) and Grande’s “off the table” from her album Positions, also released in 2020. Though never confirmed, there was a popular fan theory that Grande and The Weeknd (aka Abel Tesfaye) dated during their collaborative period. A bit later, Grande married real estate agent Dalton Gomez in May 2021. To understand why people think “I Heard You’re Married” is about Grande, you’ll need to listen closely to the track.
The Lyrical Evidence
The song features an ‘80s style synth sound and lyrics like, “The way you hypnotized me, I could tell (Uh) / You've been in control / You manifested this, but girl, I blame myself,” setting the tone for the first verse. The same verse concludes with a hint that he’s having an affair with someone who’s in a relationship. “It hurts to think I’m sharing you,” The Weeknd sings. The song gets even more honest in the second verse, when Tesfaye croons, “If you don’t love him (Oh no) / Then do yourself a favor and just leave him.” Other cutting lyrics include, “Now I’m sure you have your issues and your reasons (Reasons) / But why you even with him if you’re cheatin’ (Cheatin’)?”
The Grande and Tesfaye Connection
Although the lyrics are hard-hitting, they don’t point to any particular person, although you can connect some dots if you analyze The Weeknd’s dating history.
The Weeknd’s famous exes, like Bella Hadid and Selena Gomez, haven’t gotten married yet, so the song clearly isn’t about them. The only big name Tesfaye has been connected with who did recently get married is Grande, and it doesn’t feel too far-fetched she may be the song’s subject when you consider that they’ve collaborated on music a few times. The first time was for the 2014 duet “Love Me Harder,” before they team up again for “off the table” and “Save Your Tears.” Intriguingly enough, “off the table” has been analyzed as Grande’s ode to her boo Gomez.
The “Save Your Tears” remix was released around April 2021, which means Grande was already engaged to Gomez at the time. One of the lyrics in the first verse comments about the woman “hidin’ someone’s ring.” Hmm. Fans think there could’ve been plenty of time for an affair between Grande and Tesfaye between the engagement and the wedding, plus it was hard not to hear about Grande’s wedding once it happened, despite it being a small, intimate ceremony. Following the “34 + 35” singer’s wedding, she and Tesfaye performed at the iHeartRadio Music Awards in late May 2021 and did a live Vevo performance of “off the table” in July of that year.
Comparisons With Grande’s Lyrics
On Genius’ page for “I Heard You’re Married,” there’s a note to the lyrics, “You manifested this, but girl, I blame myself,” that suggest it could be a reference to Grande’s theme of manifesting “good karma” in the track “just like magic.” Furthermore, the lyric, “too good to be true,” which appears in the chorus of “I Heard You’re Married,” could be a direct take from Grande’s songs “positions” and “someone like u” from Positions, which both featured the lyrics “too good to be true” in different ways. To add even more clout to the idea is The Weeknd’s decision to feature Lil Wayne in the song, the same rapper who worked with Grande on her song “Let Me Love You” from her 2016 album, Dangerous Woman.
Although fans think The Weeknd’s “I Heard You’re Married” is about Grande, there’s no way to know unless someone fesses up. Even so, it’s certainly got some people convinced.
