Song: ‘We Can’t Be Friends (Wait for Your Love)’
Artist: Ariana Grande
US chart peak: 1
Release date: March 8, 2024
Writers: Ariana Grande, Max Martin, Ilya
Producers: Ariana Grande, Max Martin, Ilya
Quintessential Max moment: The way the immaculate chorus melodies constantly flutter.
Video synopsis: Tl:dr adaptation of Michel Gondry’s Eternal Sunshine of a Spotless Mind.

In January, I mused on whether or not Max would be involved in any future singles from Ariana’s seventh album ‘Eternal Sunshine’. Two months later and obviously we now know his fingerprints are on 11 of the album’s 13 songs, with this follow-up to ‘Yes, And?’ sticking with the not-too-shabby creative trio of Ariana, Max and Ilya. While that lead single entered at number 1 in America, it failed to really stick, with a slightly fumbled, recorded-through-a-shoe Mariah Carey remix giving it a brief injection of life before it slid down the chart (rebounding into the top 10 once the album was released, natch). That paired with the announcement from Ariana that there wouldn’t be a second single release before the album lead to a few frayed nerves from fans.

No one needed to worry, of course, because ‘We Can’t Be Friends (Wait for Your Love)’ is already shaping up to be one of 2024’s biggest hits, helped by an excellent video and an SNL performance so good it’s made a lot of people remember SNL is still a thing. It becomes Max’s 27th (!) US chart-topper, and second of 2024, extending his record of producing the most number 1 singles in America… Ever, while also overtaking ‘Two Virgins No 9’ hitmaker John Lennon into second place on the list of the most successful songwriters.

Like most homosexuals of a certain age I couldn’t help but notice that ‘We Can’t Be Friends’ shared a similar sonic universe with ‘Body Talk’-era Robyn. As we know, Max and Robyn have collaborated in the past (including on ‘Body Talk’), but ‘We Can’t Be Friends’ sits more in the universe of ‘Dancing on My Own’ and ‘Call Your Girlfriend’, two non-Max singles. The similarities are so obvious that they can’t be accidental, which makes me think it’s a conscious move to channel Robyn’s deceptive ability to pierce your heart while welcoming you gently to the dancefloor. Like the best Robyn moments, it is about emotional devastation tinged with a slither of hope underscored by a joyful rush as those melodies sink into your pores. It also pulls off that trick of being a huge dance banger and a soft-scoop bop that remembers to show restraint where other songs might have hammered you around the head. (The similarities are even more striking in the demo Ilya shared on Instagram.)

In fact, restraint is becoming more and more prevalent in Ariana’s music, and here she chooses to sing with her chest rather than her head. The vocal layering is immaculate – the way she doubles specific words or phrases during the chorus is perfection – and the middle eight is like diving headlong into a swimming pool of feathers. There are so many other great production flourishes too – the subtle lift into the chorus; the use of gaps and spaces to allow the song to breath; the juddering synths that sound like they’re coming up from the floor below; the way “my love” flutters; the string-drenched coda; the fact it begs you to hit repeat when it finishes.

Lyrically it makes you think it’s one thing – the promise of an olive branch to an ex, perhaps – before you realise she’s (probably) speaking to the media, and the public, and asking for clemency. There’s a sigh of realisation at not being able to control the various narratives, but also a sense of finally being fine with that: things change, stories come and go, and perhaps at some point the relationship can be repaired, but for now it’s important to focus on things you can grip with both hands. As with all great songs though, there’s wriggle room for you to insert yourself. I for one found the bits about balancing – to paraphrase Oprah – being silent with being silenced incredibly relatable.

It will be interesting to see if there are more singles from ‘Eternal’ Sunshine’, or whether Ariana will have to switch to film promo mode (she has two Wicked films coming this year and next). Given that this album was made in a few weeks, signalling a return to her speedy work ethic pre-pandemic and pre-divorce, chances are she’ll be back with a new opus soon enough anyway. Fingers crossed for some more Max input when it does arrive.