Ariana Grande opens up about the painful impact of speculation regarding her appearance in her collaboration with Charli XCX on the remix of “Sympathy Is a Knife.” Released on October 11, this track is a highlight from Charli’s latest album, Brat, and reflects on the insecurities faced by public figures.
In her verse, Grande poignantly expresses the hurt caused by public scrutiny, singing: “It’s a knife when you know they’re counting on your mistakes / It’s a knife when you’re so pretty, they think it must be fake / It’s a knife when they dissect your body on the front page / It’s a knife when they won’t believe you, why should you explain?”
In a recent episode of Vanity Fair’s Lie Detector Test series, Grande confirmed she has undergone some cosmetic procedures, including fillers and Botox, but emphasized that she stopped these treatments four years ago. “But I’m also in full support of all people who do these things. Whatever makes women, men, and non-gender conforming people feel beautiful should be allowed. Why do we care?” she stated.
Charli XCX, who co-wrote the track, discussed her decision to feature Grande in an interview with Zane Lowe on Apple Music 1. “From where I was to now, I’m definitely finding more than ever that my words are being picked apart, taken out of context,” Charli said. She added that she felt Grande could relate deeply to these experiences.
Lorde also contributed to Brat with her remix of “Girl, So Confusing,” where she delves into her own body image struggles, echoing Grande’s sentiments about the pressure to conform to physical ideals.
As the remix album Brat continues to receive attention, both Grande and Charli XCX showcase the emotional challenges of navigating fame in the public eye.
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