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Jessica Ott

Professor Stanard

ENG 1201

23 June 2021

Summary of ‘The Ambiguous Kiss-Off’

The article, “The Ambiguous Kiss-Off” by Amanda Hess, which was posted to the New
York Times in March of 2019, discussed how Ariana Grande developed a simple phrase, that is
now used as a cultural saying and that is open to more than one interpretation. The article begins
by informing the reader that the phrase, ‘Thank you, next’ first appeared when Ariana Grande
used the phrase as an unclear reprimand towards one of her ex-boyfriends. Since then, the phrase
has been used in contradicting ways throughout culture today, but Ariana’s main purpose for the
phrase was to show genuine gratitude to her previous relationships. The phrase has rapidly
grown on the internet and has turned into a passive aggressive saying that can be used in many
contexts. Furthermore, the phrase is very flexible and can be used towards people as a base level
of politeness.

Today the world is filled with pettiness, and the elegance shown from Ariana’s phrase is
a way to show people that celebrities do not have to tear others down to rise. Lastly, this phrase
has created a way for people to address conflict by taking the high road, thus creating self-
respect for themselves. Ariana Grande has used her past relationships as learning experiences
and has shown women, all around the world, that it is okay to disregard men who diminish
success. The phrase, ‘Thank you, next’ is a social nicety.
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Works Cited

Hess, Amanda. “The Ambiguous Kiss-Off.” 25 Songs that Matter Right Now. New York Times
Magazine. March 2019. https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2018/03/08/magazine/25-
songs-future-of-music.html. Accessed on 23 June 2021