After just releasing “Sweetener” in August, Ariana Grande is back with her post-breakup hit “thank u, next.” The song was dropped without any warning last Saturday and is meant to be a preview for her next album of the same title, which will come out sometime in the next few months according to Grande’s response to a paparazzi.

The first verse of the song mentions all of Grande’s previous public relationships. While this might seem petty as she just broke off her marriage with SNL cast member Pete Davidson, Grande thanks her exes instead of cursing them.

“Even almost got married, / And for Pete I’m so thankful / Wish I could say thank you to Malcolm / ’Cause he was an angel,” Grande sings.

She mentions “Malcolm,” widely known as Mac Miller, who passed away from an overdose in September. The fact that Grande pays tribute to her ex-lover and calls him an angel makes this verse bitter-sweet.

Early in the song, Grande mentions four of her relationships: Big Sean, Ricky Alvarez, Mac Miller and Pete Davidson. In the pre-chorus, Grande sings that she is grateful for all the experiences her exes gave her. She sings that only three of these relationships taught her something. This leaves a mystery in which ex taught her what and who taught her nothing.

In the second verse, Grande sings about focusing on her relationship with herself, signing that she “met someone else” and “her name is Ari.” Grande has jumped from relationship to relationship, so it is inspiring to hear that she decided to dedicate some time to herself. This verse reminds listeners that the only person who will always be there for them is themselves.

In the last verse of the song, Grande thanks her father for leaving her family when she was only nine years old. She sings that her mom “grew from the drama.” This is a unique verse to Grande as she mostly sings about being in love with a boy in her songs. The fact that she mentions her parents makes one think that Grande is starting on a new road in her music.

In “thank u, next,” Grande transforms into an independent woman who doesn’t need a relationship to be happy. The singer reminds her fans that people need to focus more on the positives and what they can learn from bad experiences. This is the first of Grande’s songs where she doesn’t focus on loving a boy, which means that fans may be able to expect a new era.