Grande, 21, has made huge inroads this year with her music career after a successful teen television career.
She scored a major breakout after her latest album My Everything hit No. 1 on the U.S. charts this year, powered by hit singles “Problem” and “Break Free.” She has a four octave light lyric soprano vocal range.
She’s highly sexualized her act on stage with trademark hotpants, thigh-high boots and kit-kat ears. For a Christmas video, however, she may have carried the sexual theme too far.
While the video is light-hearted and whimsical, Ariana twerks and cavorts in only a sweat shirt, without pants. Her backup dancers are dressed in hot, red body stockings.
The video includes about two minutes of outtakes, including a scene where Ariana declares, “Oh my God, it’s hot as balls!”
The line seems innocent, if nonsensical, except for the fact that Ed Shearan provided context at the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show. He blabbed about Ariana’s fascination with “big black balls,” an apparent reference to her boyfriend, rapper Big Sean.
She’s also featured on Nicki Minaj’s explicit song “Get On Your Knees.” Bette Midler also chided her for acting like a “whore.”
Grande released the video today (Dec. 13) with a Tweet: “santa tell me! my friends & i made a lil mv for y’all to enjoy over the holidays (the outtakes r my fav) love u so.”
Check out the video and let us know your thoughts and be sure to follow IM on Twitter for the latest music news.
Keith Girard four decades of experience as an award-winning reporter, editor-in-chief, and senior media executive. Keith’s career began in Washington, D.C., where he was a reporter for The Washington Post and a contributing editor for Regardie’s and Washingtonian magazines. He also worked as a writer/producer in CNN’s Washington Bureau and has written one book on the U.S. Marines in the Gulf War.