【译】叉婊Pitchfork评Ariana Grande 2018年单曲《thank u, next》

翻译：Nomanlandever

Late Saturday night, Ariana Grande offered yet another reminder that she is the ponytailed patron saint of grace, light, and sass. On “thank u, next,” the track she released that night, she doesn’t stir the pot about her recent breakup, as the common media narrative might expect; instead she finds the value in letting go. It’s a generosity rarely spotted these days, when it is so much more tempting to clap back with vinegar instead of honey—and after Grande’s rollercoaster of a year, few would blame her for embracing full-on “Shout Out to My Ex”-style spite. But “thank u, next,” despite its kiss-off title, is not about throwing shade or dragging her exes. It’s “jus love, gratitude, acceptance, honesty, forgiveness … and growth,” as Grande clarified in a tweet.

上周六晚，Ariana Grande又一次提醒了人们她是位扎着马尾辫的优雅，光明且婊气的守护神。在歌曲《thank u, next》发行当晚，她并没有按媒体计划那样疯狂炒作近期的分手事件。相反，她摸索出放手的重要性。这是个很难展现出慷慨的时代，更多时候迎来的是酸言酸语的攻击，而不是甜言蜜语——在Ariana Grande经历这过山车般的一年后，不会有多少人责怪她类似《Shout Out to My Ex》（Little Mix 2016年单曲）式宣泄情绪的行为，但《thank u, next》，尽管歌名看似话题性十足，但并不是要抹黑或消费她的前男友们，表达的却是“满满的爱意，感激，接受、诚实、原谅……以及成长。”正如Ariana发推文澄清道。

Grande’s kind assessment of the past begins immediately with a run through her romantic timeline, including her highly public relationship with Big Sean and engagement to Pete Davidson, concluding with a devastating ode to the late Mac Miller. These men, with all their imperfections, have shaped her for the better, and now she has enough perspective to thank them. She does so with an already iconic farewell over a subtle, twinkling beat: “Thank you, next/I’m so fuckin’ grateful for my ex.” Then, after demonstrating her newfound serenity, Grande almost gives fans (and TMZ) a conniption when she teases that she’s met someone new, but then reveals that the love she’s found is with herself: “She taught me love/She taught me patience/How she handles pain/That shit’s amazing.” Much like the “one girl swaying alone” twist in Lorde’s “Liability,” it’s an eloquent display of inner strength and incisive self-awareness; “thank u, next” embraces a rare mindset that perhaps not so many people, let alone famous pop stars, grant to their exes. The high road might not be the easiest path, but Grande offers to lead us there by her own example.

Ariana Grande对往昔的善意评价的起因 还得从她的恋情时间线开始梳理，包括与Big Sean的高调恋情，与Pete Davidson订婚，最后以对已故Mac Miller毁灭性的颂歌结束。这些男人，尽管各自都有缺陷，却将她塑造得更为完美，到现在，Ariana早有充足的理由表达对他们的感谢。她在精致，璀璨夺目的节奏下这样做了：“Thank you, next/I’m so fuckin’ grateful for my ex.” 之后，在表露出近期的心态平和后，Ariana Grande开玩笑说她已结识新欢，这几乎激怒了粉丝（以及TMZ），但之后她又披露爱上的新欢正是她自己：“She taught me love/She taught me patience/How she handles pain/That shit’s amazing.” 很像Lorde《Liability》中歌词“one girl swaying alone”描绘的情景，有力地展现出内在的力量和深刻的自我意识；《thank u, next》蕴含了一种罕见的心理状态，多数人都不具备，更不用说著名的流行歌星，会如此对待他们的前任。道德高尚的大道可能不是最容易走的路，但Ariana Grande言传身教地指引着我们前行。