Ariana Grande, hate that i made you love me | Song Review

Once more, pop singer-songwriter Ariana Grande cooks on “hate that I made you love me,” the lead single from her eighth LP, petal.

Those are some descriptive, poetic, and powerful lyrics that Ariana Grande sings in the first verse of “hate that i made you love me”. The promo single from her eighth studio album, petal (arriving August 2, 2026), doesn’t stop there. There are plenty of ear-catching, unforgettable lyrics, brought to life by the high-flying, prodigious pipes of Grande. “Hate that i made you love me” was written and produced by Grande, ILYA, and Max Martin. Once again, Ari strikes gold.

“Hate that i made you love me” excels for many reasons.  First and foremost, the gifted Ariana Grande is the lead artist.  She has one of the best voices, ever.  She shines, once more, as she brings the tuneful melodies and memorable, thought-provoking lyrics to life.  “You studied my crown and borrowed my body,” she asserts in the second verse, and adds, “Warm kissed by the sun, then cold like the wind / A bee stuck in honey.” Oh, snap! The pre-chorus is intriguing in its own right, where Ari sees through things and declares, “It’s all bad news.” The chorus, unsurprisingly, is the crème de la crème, highlighting the titular lyric.

“Yeah, I, I, I hate that I made you love me

Sorry if I made me your type

Yeah, I, I hate that I made you love me

‘Cause I barely tried, yeah, I, I, I.”

Word. Like many a great pop song, there is a sublime bridge connected to the verses and chorus, affirming Grande’s stance.  Further affirming the excellence of “Hate that i made you love me” is the mellow yet vibrant musical accompaniment. I love the coolness and smoothness of the synths and keys, which suit Ari’s sophisticated pipes. While this song is a bummer thematically because of forced love, there is nothing to hate about it – it’s quality pop.

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Ariana Grande » petal » Babydoll Music / Republic Records » 8.2.26 [📷: Babydoll Music / Republic Records]

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