Pete Davidson (song)

Last updated
"Pete Davidson"
Song by Ariana Grande
from the album Sweetener
ReleasedAugust 17, 2018 (2018-08-17)
RecordedMay 2018
Length1:13
Label Republic
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
  • Tommy Brown
  • Charles Anderson

"Pete Davidson" (stylized in lowercase) is a song by American singer-songwriter Ariana Grande. The song serves as the fourteenth track from her fourth studio album, Sweetener (2018). It was released through Republic Records on August 17, 2018, alongside the album. The song was written by Grande, Victoria Monét and its producers Tommy Brown and Charles Anderson. The song was titled after Grande's then-fiance.

Contents

Background

This is about Pete Davidson. I was like, why not? You know? Be direct. [1]

– Grande about renaming the track

Pete Davidson, the subject of the song, in 2015 Pete Davidson in 2015 (17073107891).jpg
Pete Davidson, the subject of the song, in 2015

"Pete Davidson" was the last song recorded for Sweetener. [2]

The song was written when Grande and her now ex-fiancé, Pete Davidson, began dating. It was first teased on May 31, 2018, after Grande posted her first picture with Davidson on Instagram with the description: "i thought u into my life 💭 woah ! look at my mind 💡⚡️🙈" which were lyrics later included in the then-upcoming song. [3] On June 7, 2018, Grande confirmed that recently she recorded an interlude for Sweetener. [2] On June 17, 2018, she posted a snippet of the interlude, then on the same day, confirmed the title "Pete". The song was later renamed to "Pete Davidson". [4]

Critical reception

The song generally received positive reviews. Neil McCormick in The Daily Telegraph wrote that the song is "utterly gorgeous, a sweet nothing dissolving into blissful oohs." [5] The Irish Times ' Louis Bruton said the song "adds a lightness to the record." [6] Brittany Spanos from Rolling Stone said that "Pete Davidson" is "a song that gets the point across with its title alone, she's found her serenity." [7]

Charts

Chart performance for "Pete Davidson"
Chart (2018)Peak
position
Australia (ARIA) [8] 58
Canada (Canadian Hot 100) [9] 73
Portugal (AFP) [10] 87
UK Audio Streaming (OCC) [11] 55
US Billboard Hot 100 [12] 99

Certifications

Certifications for "Pete Davidson"
RegionCertification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA) [13] Gold35,000
Brazil (Pro-Música Brasil) [14] Gold20,000

Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Cover versions

Electronic music producer Jonathan Hay released a dance cover of "Pete Davidson" with a heavy jazz influence titled, "Pete Davidson (Reimagined As House Music)" in December of 2021. [15]

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References

  1. "Breaking Down the Meaning of Ariana Grande's 'Pete Davidson' Lyrics". Elle . August 17, 2018. Retrieved November 19, 2018.
  2. 1 2 "Ariana Grande on Twitter". Twitter. Retrieved 2018-11-01.
  3. "Ariana Grande on Instagram: "i thought u into my life 💭 woah ! look at my mind 💡⚡️🙈"". Instagram. Archived from the original on 2021-12-24. Retrieved 2018-11-19.
  4. "Ariana Grande Explains Why She Changed 'Pete' Song Title to 'Pete Davidson': 'I Love His Name & I Love Him'". Billboard. Retrieved 2019-06-16.
  5. "Ariana Grande, Sweetener, review: Out of the dark came sweetness". www.telegraph.co.uk. Retrieved 2018-11-19.
  6. "Ariana Grande: Sweetener review – Celebrating the art of being okay". The Irish Times. Retrieved 2019-06-16.
  7. Spanos, Brittany. "Review: Ariana Grande Finds Serenity and Has Some Fun on ' Sweetener'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 17 June 2019.
  8. "ARIA Chart Watch #487". auspOp. 25 August 2018. Retrieved 25 August 2018.
  9. "Ariana Grande Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved November 25, 2018.
  10. "Ariana Grande – Pete Davidson". AFP Top 100 Singles. Retrieved November 25, 2018.
  11. "Official Audio Streaming Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved August 1, 2019.
  12. "Ariana Grande Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved November 25, 2018.
  13. "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2023 Singles" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association . Retrieved July 7, 2023.
  14. "Brazilian single certifications – Ariana Grande – Pete Davidson" (in Portuguese). Pro-Música Brasil . Retrieved 18 December 2023.
  15. "Exclusive: Listen to Ariana Grande's Song 'Pete Davidson' Reimagined as House Music".