The premier husband-and-wife team in pop music of the 2010s is back. It came as a pleasant surprise when The Weeknd and Ariana Grande teamed up once more for a remix of the former’s “Die for You.” The Weeknd’s hit 2016 album Starboy featured “Die for You” as its sixth single, and it has since seen a genuine comeback because to TikTok’s popularity. Nearly seven years after it initially graced DSPs as the swan song of The Weeknd’s Grammy-winning third studio album, Grande is now attempting to assist the song reach No. 1 on the Hot 100.
The “Die for You” remix had a high bar to meet after the No. 1 success “Save Your Tears (Remix),” the Top 10 peaking “Love Me Harder” (2014), and the Positions standout “off the table” (2020). The Weeknd and Ariana Grande make a great duo because their complementary tones—her sweetness and his subtle darkness—can meet in the center thanks to his adaptable falsetto and her seductive lower range. Less of the pairing of two powerhouses and more of a subtle assist with Grande playing a steady supporting role, the reimagined version of “Die For You” finds the “positions” singer decorating the track with her trademark high notes and fluttery riffs.
When singing her verse, which she penned and recorded in her trailer while making the Adaptation of the Wicked movie, Grande shows off her better enunciation and lyrical flourishes that refer to the common thread that runs through all of her songs with The Weeknd. She sings, “And you insinuating that you think we might be better,” making reference to the remix’s line, “I realize that it’s much too late / And you deserve someone better.”The two’s chemistry on this song is undeniable; the way their voices flit across the pulsing synths is reminiscent of their previous duets, which often feature tortured lovers who are unable to let go of one another. It’s odd that Grande doesn’t appear in the song’s second half, and her absence is felt. The song’s dramatic ending, which features Grande and her coworker, is demanded by the song’s last chorus. However, the new rendition of “Die for You” is another fantastic duet from the duo. Since when will the collaborative album be released?
