“7 rings” by Ariana Grande is a globally recognized trap-pop anthem about the empowering and healing joy of financial independence and female friendship in the aftermath of personal hardship. The song’s core meaning is a bold and unapologetic celebration of “retail therapy,” reframing materialism as a valid and joyful form of self-care and a way to lavish love on the friends who form your chosen family.
It is a confident declaration that after enduring pain, a woman can find more happiness in her own success and her friendships than in a traditional romance. In this article, we explore the meaning of this song, breaking down its metaphors and emotions.
Introduction to the Song
Released on January 18, 2019, “7 rings” was the second single from Ariana Grande’s groundbreaking fifth studio album, thank u, next. The song marked a dramatic and definitive pivot into a trap-pop sound, a style that would heavily influence the entire album. Its most distinctive feature is its clever interpolation of the melody from “My Favorite Things,” the classic song from the 1959 musical The Sound of Music, which it brilliantly reframes in a modern, hip-hop context.
“7 rings” was an immediate and colossal success, debuting at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and shattering numerous streaming records on platforms like Spotify. Accompanied by a lavish, pink-drenched music video, the song became an anthem of empowerment and a cultural phenomenon. However, its unapologetic flexing and blending of genres also sparked significant online discussions and controversies, cementing its status as one of the most talked-about and impactful songs of the late 2010s.
Central Theme & Message
The central theme of “7 rings” is empowerment through financial independence and the celebration of female friendship. The song is a powerful statement on finding strength and joy outside of a traditional romantic relationship. It tells the story of a woman who, after going through a difficult time, chooses to channel her energy and resources into herself and her closest friends, discovering a profound sense of happiness and control in the process.
The primary message is a bold and provocative redefinition of “happily ever after.” Grande suggests that a woman’s ultimate fulfillment can come from her own success and the powerful bond of her “chosen family.” The song directly challenges the cliché that “money can’t solve your problems” by arguing that financial freedom provides the agency to create your own joy. It is an unapologetic ode to the power of a Black Card, the loyalty of best friends, and the radical act of spoiling yourself and the people you love.
Lyrical Meaning, Section by Section
The First Verse
The song opens by painting a picture of a luxurious and rebellious lifestyle enjoyed with her friends, referencing champagne-fueled breakfasts at Tiffany’s and the thrill of getting into trouble. The narrator then immediately provides the emotional context for this opulence. She acknowledges that she has “been through some bad shit” and that, by societal standards, she “should be a sad bitch.”
However, she reveals a powerful transformation: her hardship did not break her; it turned her into a “savage.” This is a key declaration of her resilience. She contrasts being “tied up with calls” (business and success) versus “strings” (romantic attachments), making it clear she is choosing her career and independence. The verse concludes with a powerful statement of her autonomy: she writes her own songs, and she writes her own checks, giving her complete creative and financial control over her life.
The Pre-Chorus
The pre-chorus is a rapid-fire, confident flaunting of her success and assets, delivered in a rhythmic, sing-song flow. She warns off admirers from watching her expensive watch and describes her dazzling jewelry. She mentions making “big deposits” and her “gloss is poppin’,” combining financial and aesthetic flexing into one seamless statement of success.
This section culminates in the song’s iconic and instantly memorable mantra. After a playful interaction where someone compliments her hair and she casually replies that she just bought it, she lays out her simple, powerful philosophy: “I see it, I like it, I want it, I got it.” This is the ultimate expression of her financial freedom and agency—the ability to desire something and immediately acquire it without needing anyone’s permission.
The Second Verse
The second verse powerfully centers the song’s theme of friendship over romance. The narrator mentions wearing a diamond ring but clarifies that it doesn’t mean she is going to become a “Mrs.,” directly subverting the traditional meaning of a diamond ring as a symbol of engagement and marriage.
Instead, she reveals that she “bought matching diamonds for six of my bitches,” repurposing this symbol of romantic commitment into a powerful emblem of her bond with her female friends. She states that she would rather use her riches to spoil her friends, declaring “retail therapy” as her new addiction. This verse also contains her direct challenge to a common proverb, arguing that whoever said money can’t solve problems “must not have had enough money to solve ’em,” a provocative and unapologetic statement on the practical power of wealth.
The Third Verse
This final verse is the ultimate display of the narrator’s immense wealth and power, delivered with a confident, hip-hop-influenced flow. She describes her receipts being as long as phone numbers and dismisses anyone who isn’t talking about money. She refers to her “Black card” (an exclusive, high-limit credit card) as her “business card,” a symbol of her elite status.
She describes her effortless ability to shop, record a song, and make all the money back in “one loop,” showcasing her incredible work ethic and earning power. The verse is filled with boasts about her jewelry, her private jet, and her unlimited budget on set. It is an unfiltered and triumphant celebration of her success, culminating in the final, simple declaration that if she likes something, she gets it, period.
Emotional Tone & Mood
- Tone: The emotional tone of “7 rings” is confident, braggadocious, playful, and completely unapologetic. It is a “flex” anthem, but its tone is rooted in a sense of joyful, communal celebration rather than cold, individualistic arrogance. Grande’s delivery, which blends melodic singing with a rhythmic, rap-like cadence, gives the song a cool, effortless swagger.
- Mood: The mood is luxurious, hypnotic, and powerfully empowering. The trap-pop beat, with its deep bass and dreamy, cyclical melody (borrowed from The Sound of Music), creates a decadent and almost magical atmosphere. It’s a song that makes you feel rich, confident, and surrounded by your best friends, even if you’re just listening to it in your bedroom. 💍🥂
Artist’s Perspective & Backstory
The story behind “7 rings” is as iconic as the song itself. Ariana Grande has openly shared the real-life event that inspired the track. Following her very public breakup with Pete Davidson, she was having a difficult day, and her friends took her to Tiffany & Co. in New York City for some retail therapy. After a bit too much champagne, in a spontaneous act of love and friendship, Grande bought herself and her six best friends (including fellow songwriters Victoria Monét and Tayla Parx) matching diamond rings.
Later that day, she and her friends went to the studio, and the song was born from that experience. The interpolation of “My Favorite Things” was also a key part of its creation. The classic song is about finding happiness in simple things during sad times; “7 rings” cleverly flips this concept, with Grande finding happiness in lavish, material things and the love of her friends. The song also faced some controversy upon its release, with some critics and listeners accusing it of cultural appropriation for its blend of trap aesthetics and a traditionally “white” musical theatre source, sparking a significant online conversation.
Real-Life Events or Facts Related to the Song
- Commercial Juggernaut: “7 rings” was a record-breaking commercial success. It debuted at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and stayed there for eight non-consecutive weeks. It also broke Spotify’s record for the most streams in a 24-hour period at the time of its release.
- The Iconic Music Video: The music video, directed by Hannah Lux Davis, perfectly visualized the song’s themes. The video is drenched in a signature pink and purple light and depicts a lavish, champagne-fueled party with Grande and her real-life friends. It celebrates female camaraderie, luxury, and unapologetic fun, and it became one of the most-viewed videos of the year.
Metaphors & Symbolism
“7 rings” is rich with powerful and modern symbols that redefine traditional concepts of love and success.
- The 7 Rings: The seven matching diamond rings are the song’s central and most important symbol. They are a powerful subversion of the traditional engagement ring. Instead of symbolizing a commitment between a man and a woman, these rings symbolize the deep, loyal, and enduring bond of female friendship and chosen family. It is an act of reclaiming a symbol of romantic love and repurposing it for platonic devotion.
- The “My Favorite Things” Interpolation: The use of the melody from this classic The Sound of Music song is a brilliant symbolic act of recontextualization. Grande takes a wholesome, innocent melody associated with a traditional, nostalgic past and infuses it with modern trap beats, hip-hop swagger, and materialist lyrics. This symbolizes her own personal transformation and the blending of different cultural worlds to create something new and uniquely her own.
- Retail Therapy: In the context of the song, “retail therapy” is elevated from a simple act of shopping to a symbol of agency, healing, and radical self-care. Spending money is not just a distraction; it is an act of reclaiming power, finding joy after pain, and providing for herself and her community in a tangible way.
- The Black Card: The “Black card” (specifically, the American Express Centurion Card) is a well-known symbol of elite status and unlimited financial freedom. By calling it her “business card,” she symbolizes that her wealth and power are now the core of her professional identity. It’s the ultimate proof that she is the one in charge.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Question 1: What is the main meaning of “7 rings”? Answer 1: The main meaning is a celebration of finding empowerment, joy, and stability through financial independence and strong female friendships, especially after experiencing personal hardship. It reframes “retail therapy” as a valid act of self-love and community care.
Question 2: What is the true story that inspired the song “7 rings”? Answer 2: The song was inspired by a real event where, after her breakup with Pete Davidson, Ariana Grande had a “pretty rough day” and took six of her best friends to Tiffany & Co. in New York. After some champagne, she impulsively bought all seven of them matching diamond rings.
Question 3: What classic song is “7 rings” based on or sample? Answer 3: The melody of the verses is famously based on the song “My Favorite Things” from the 1959 Rodgers and Hammerstein musical, The Sound of Music.
Question 4: What does the title “7 rings” refer to? Answer 4: The title refers to the seven matching diamond rings that Ariana Grande bought for herself and her six best friends, symbolizing their bond of friendship.
Question 5: How does the song redefine the idea of “retail therapy”? Answer 5: The song redefines “retail therapy” from a frivolous coping mechanism to a powerful act of agency. For the narrator, spending money is a way to celebrate her success, provide for her friends, and affirm her own independence and ability to create her own happiness.
Question 6: Why was “7 rings” considered controversial by some? Answer 6: The song faced some criticism and accusations of cultural appropriation for blending a traditionally Black genre (trap) and aesthetics with a very white cultural touchstone (The Sound of Music). Some critics also found its message that “money can solve your problems” to be materialistic and out of touch.
Question 7: What is the message of the music video? Answer 7: The music video’s message is a celebration of female friendship, luxury, and unapologetic fun. The all-female, pink-drenched party visualizes the song’s theme of finding joy and power within a community of women, free from the male gaze.
Question 8: How does this song connect to the themes of “thank u, next”? Answer 8: “7 rings” is often seen as the next chapter after the song “thank u, next.” While “thank u, next” was about the emotional process of grateful closure and turning to self-love, “7 rings” is the practical application of that new mindset: using her independence to build a joyful life with her friends.
Question 9: What does she mean by transforming from a “sad bitch” to a “savage”? Answer 9: This line describes her resilience. Instead of letting her hardships (“bad shit”) make her perpetually sad and victimized (“a sad bitch”), the experience hardened her and made her stronger, more independent, and more assertive—a “savage.”
Question 10: What is the significance of her saying “Wearing a ring, but ain’t gon’ be no ‘Mrs.'”? Answer 10: This is a powerful subversion of a diamond ring’s traditional meaning. She is taking a symbol typically associated with marriage and a man’s proposal and reclaiming it as a symbol of her own success and her commitment to her friends, not to a husband.
Question 11: What is a “Black card”? Answer 11: A “Black card” is a common nickname for the American Express Centurion Card, an exclusive, invitation-only charge card that signifies immense wealth and elite status.
Question 12: How did the song perform on the charts? Answer 12: It was a massive success, debuting at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and staying there for eight weeks. It also broke numerous global streaming records, becoming one of the biggest songs of 2019.
Question 13: What does the line “Write my own checks like I write what I sing” mean? Answer 13: This line is a powerful declaration of her complete autonomy. It means she has both creative control (she writes her own music) and financial control (she pays her own way), making her fully independent.
Question 14: What is the meaning of the mantra “I see it, I like it, I want it, I got it”? Answer 14: This mantra is the song’s core philosophy. It’s a simple but powerful expression of the ultimate freedom that comes with financial independence—the ability to fulfill your own desires instantly and without permission.
Question 15: Who are the six friends who received rings? Answer 15: The six friends include her close collaborators and best friends, such as Victoria Monét and Tayla Parx (who are also credited songwriters on the album), along with friends Njomza, Alexa Luria, Courtney Chipolone, and Kaydence.
Question 16: What is the emotional tone of the song? Answer 16: The tone is confident, playful, braggadocious, and unapologetically joyful. It’s a celebratory and empowering anthem.
Question 17: How did this song showcase a new sound for Ariana Grande? Answer 17: It marked her most definitive embrace of trap-pop, a subgenre that blends the melodic structures of pop music with the rhythmic cadences, hi-hats, and heavy bass of trap music. This sound defined the thank u, next album.
Question 18: What is the meaning of the line about receipts looking like “phone numbers”? Answer 18: This is a flex about how much money she spends. The total on her shopping receipts is so high that it has as many digits as a phone number (typically 7 to 10), implying she is spending hundreds of thousands or even millions of dollars.
Question 19: Is the song intended to be a serious statement on capitalism? Answer 19: While it sparked discussions about materialism, the song is likely intended less as a serious economic statement and more as a personal, celebratory fantasy of empowerment. It’s about her specific journey of finding joy through the means available to her.
Question 20: What is the ultimate message of “7 rings”? Answer 20: The ultimate message is that after surviving pain, a woman’s greatest source of power and happiness can be found in her own financial independence and the unwavering love of her female friends. It’s a modern fairy tale where the princess buys her own castle and shares it with her best friends, not a prince.