At the stroke of midnight tonight, party poppers will blare, confetti will dance through the air, and another year comes to an end. Some of us lost loved ones; some of us gained them. Some of us experienced skyscraping success; others unspeakable hardship. We laughed, we cried, we danced, we died, and tomorrow we continue the spine-tingling ride, playing the bittersweet song of life.
And what better way to say goodbye to 2018, than Ariana Grande's hit single 'thank u next?' In the song, she bids goodbye to her exes, while thanking them for the wonderful memories. One of these exes is rapper Mac Miller, who tragically died at the age 26 from an accidental drug overdose. Another ex is Saturday Night Live comedian Pete Davidson; the pair got engaged in May, and broke up in October.
(Also, the 'thank u next' music video is an entertaining homage to 90's comedies Clueless, Mean Girls and Legally Blonde. If it doesn't cheer you up, you're not bending and snapping enough.)
Following these tumultuous events, Ariana Grande cancelled her New Year's Eve performance in Las Vegas, citing health concerns. "Vegas, I'm currently working through some health issues and am beyond sorry I won't be able to see you this weekend," she wrote on Instagram Stories. "I love you and so look forward to seeing u and making it up to u next year."
This would have been the singer's first major show since her break-up with Pete Davidson. The Arianators might be disappointed, but hopefully they - and everyone - understand the importance of self-care. Mental health issues have had a stigma in society for too long, with unhappy people turning to substances for comfort instead.
Mac Miller famously struggled with substance abuse. Again, the coroner's report revealed the overdose was accidental, due to mixed drug toxicity, a fatal combination of fentanyl, cocaine and alcohol. On December 31, Ariana shared a sweet photo of Mac Miller - well, just his hands playing the piano. She then deleted it, while providing no explanation.
However, afterwards Grande shared another Instagram post that reflected her state of mind:
"farewell 2018, you f***," she humorously wrote in the caption. "i hope this new year brings you all much laughter, clarity and healing. ? be gentle with yourselves and each other. if we made it thru this last year, we’ll for sure make it thru this one. thank you for everything. ?"
Another year brings new memories; new lovers and new enemies; new gladness and new sadness. Whether you're rich or poor, old or young, an Arianator or a Juggalo, the gift of time unwraps with the last seconds of 2018. 2019 appears with the promise of a crisp white sheet of paper, which we will each color in our own vibrant way.
To the new year, we toast champagne and watch sparkling fireworks season the sky. And to the old year, we say 'thank u, next.'