Ariana Grande’s "Yes, And" Improv Philosophy

Kathy Hutchins / Vecteezy

A recent teaser for Ariana Grande's "Yes, And" music video hilariously stated, “She does not have a Ph.D, but she did spend a lot of time in improv classes.” The text has since changed, but not before it motivated me to write this post about Ariana and her improv life philosophy. As a fellow theater kid and someone who has a Ph.D, spent a lot of time in improv classes, and strangely writes a lot about pop divas (Lady Gaga, Lizzo, Taylor Swift) in his monthly Psychology Today blog, I feel it’s my responsibility to do a deep dive on Grande’s newest song and video “Yes, And.”

First, let’s make the case that Grande is giving a wink and nod to improv comedy.

The evidence:

1. Those Folding Chairs

For anyone who’s ever taken an improv class, you’ll recognize the folding chairs right away. Sure, Grande is referencing Paula Abdul’s “Cold Hearted,” but she’s also giving me flashbacks to all those times I walked into a seemingly abandoned warehouse decorated with only 20 folding chairs arranged in three rows to play make-em-ups with some other improv nerds. It’s giving improv class showcase, where you force one friend to watch you muddle through an awkward 10-minute improv set.

2. Slideshow

Exhibit B: Ariana's critics take a seat facing statues onstage. Yes, they’re posed like Grande’s previous album covers, but it’s also reminiscent of an improv game called Slideshow, where four people dance around and then freeze in interesting shapes. Then another improviser unfreezes them one by one as they tell their story based on an audience suggestion.

Grande is taking her critics’ negativity and telling her story. She has the floor.

3. Audience Participation

Speaking of critics, Grande’s “Yes, And” video showcases Ariana’s critics prominently. They make their way to those aforementioned folding chairs while complaining about all things Ariana Grande: her look, her personal life, her career. Midway through Grande’s performance, she strides into the audience and chooses three critics to join the show.

This is where Grande diverges from Abdul’s “Cold Hearted” music video. We’ve got audience participation, a key element of many types of theatrical improvisation. Usually, it’s just the audience suggestion that gets things started and proves that the show is improvised, but there are plenty of improv games that require audience members to jump up onstage and more actively become part of the show.

I remember playing Four Square and Biography with audience members back when I was improvising for Comedysportz, and it was one of the most fun experiences because it was our job to support the more novice improvisers and make them look good by setting them up for jokes and keeping the games moving along.

4. "Yes, And"

Finally, the title itself is a nod to improv. Grande is no stranger to improvisation. She made her Broadway debut in the musical “13” when she was just 15, and she’s going to be gracing movie theatres as Elphaba in the film version of the hit musical “Wicked” later this year. If you say “Zip” to Ariana Grande, she’s going to respond with a “Zap.” Musical theatre performers have to be ready for anything, and improv exercises are one of the ways they make that happen.

She also famously improvised her song lyrics in the film “Don’t Look Up.” She hilariously improvised, “We’re all gonna die. Turn off that shitbox news.” Grande also showcases her spontaneity when she makes the talk show rounds bringing her best improvised impressions.

The "Yes, And" Philosophy

But what does it all mean? Why improv’s “Yes, And” principle, Ariana?

1. "Yes, And" is a Creative Tool

By invoking improv’s “Yes, And” concept, Grande is placing herself in the role of the creative creator. Going along with the current reality (good or bad) and then adding on means that Grande is focused on the creative process itself. In improv, “Yes, And” prevents players from getting mired in conflict. If you tell me I’m an idiot, my first reaction is to get defensive, but this keeps both of us stuck in conflict. If I go along with your idea, I free myself up to move past conflict and start enjoying the scene, idiot or not. I get to play when I “Yes, And.” I get to move past conflict, whether interpersonal or internal.

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Research backs this up. In one study, teenagers wrote more words after learning about improv’s “Yes, And” principle. In another, marketers developed more novel ideas when they learned some improv basics. “Yes, And” boosts creative output and helps people avoid creative blocks.

2. Yes, And Keeps Things Positive and Moving Forward

By “Yes, Anding,” Grande is keeping things positive but not in a toxic way. It’s that magic “And” part of the phrase that keeps Grande moving forward. You think I’m awful, fine. I’m going to “Keep moving like what’s next?”

“Yes, And” doesn’t mean Grande agrees with her critics. She’s agreeing that they have their reality and she has hers. She sings, “Your energy is yours and mine is mine. What’s mine is mine.” And this is important. She isn’t agreeing with her critics, but she’s admitting that they have a different perspective and life philosophy than her. She’s acknowledging that the critics’ opinions of her are real and in some way valid, but she’s also modeling for them and us how to shift the focus back to where it should be. Sure, you think I’m the worst, and here I go giving you another creative nugget to talk about anyway.

It’s why she’s alluding to her pop star forebears. The beat is pure Madonna. The imagery is all Paula Abdul. The costume is totally Janet Jackson. Focusing on negativity is nothing new in pop music (and in our culture more broadly, unfortunately). Critics comment endlessly on female pop stars’ bodies, love lives, sexuality, and personal and career choices in a way that they generally don’t with men. Grande is giving us that historical context and telling us the double standard from the 80s is still going strong today.

She’s also preaching that “Yes, Anding” even her harshest critics keeps them stuck where they are, embroiled in negativity and not moving forward, while she’s focused on what’s next. No matter how unfair or off-base the negativity, there’s always a way to move forward when you acknowledge it and add your creative two cents.