Pink Champagne

Album: Not released on an album (2011)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Ariana Grande recorded the demo for this doo-wop-inspired song when she was 17. Despite its popularity, the cut didn't make Yours Truly, but the songstress promised her diehard Arianators that when she hit 10 million followers on Twitter she would release the studio version. Upon reaching the magic number on October 1, 2013, Ariana popped the champagne and dropped the song.
  • An official video for Pink Champagne was released on June 10, 2017.
  • Grande wrote the song with Pebe Sebert, Kesha's mom. Pebe is an accomplished writer with credits on several of Kesha's hits, including "Your Love Is My Drug" and "Learn To Let Go."

    The track's producers, Damon Sharpe and Matt Squire, also have songwriting credits on the track.
  • In a Songfacts interview with Pebe Sebert, she talked about writing this song with Grande. "I knew Ariana well enough because I feel like it's all about trying to know the person to know what's going to be a real look for them," she said. "It's like getting a person ready for a photo shoot. Like, what's going to be a good look for her?

    She was 17 and portraying this kind of goody-two-shoes on the Nickelodeon series. We didn't want to go too far from that image at that age, and she was still on the series.

    So, that particular day, the two other writers, Damon Sharpe and Matt Squire, came in, and Ariana and I had already talked through some things. I knew her family background, being from New York and from Florida. You almost have to have a little movie that you're writing in your head. Like, here's Ariana and the movie is 'Pink Champagne,' which is just a little dangerous, but it would be acceptable for a 17- or 18-year-old to have a sip of pink champagne. It's not like drinking vodka under the bridge, it's a sip of pink champagne.

    We tried to start it off with the whole idea of how hard she worked, because she was a very hardworking young girl. We went off reality: 'Every day I'm grindin'.' Thank goodness I had two really good track people that kept the feel really bouncy and really cool and young. We played it real safe with that song because it was literally the first time she was in the studio to write with people making a track."

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Steve Cropper (Booker T & the MG's, Blues Brothers)

Steve Cropper (Booker T & the MG's, Blues Brothers)Songwriter Interviews

Steve Cropper on the making of "In the Midnight Hour," the chicken-wire scene in The Blues Brothers, and his 2021 album, Fire It Up.

Dino Cazares of Fear Factory

Dino Cazares of Fear FactorySongwriter Interviews

The guitarist/songwriter explains how he came up with his signature sound, and deconstructs some classic Fear Factory songs.

Benny Mardones

Benny MardonesSongwriter Interviews

His song "Into The Night" is one of the most-played of all time. For Benny, it took him to hell and back.

Chris Frantz of Talking Heads

Chris Frantz of Talking HeadsSongwriter Interviews

Talking Heads drummer Chris Frantz on where the term "new wave" originated, the story of "Naive Melody," and why they never recorded another cover song after "Take Me To The River."

Dwight Twilley

Dwight TwilleySongwriter Interviews

Since his debut single "I'm On Fire" in 1975, Dwight has been providing Spinal-Tap moments and misadventure.

Gary Lewis

Gary LewisSongwriter Interviews

Gary Lewis and the Playboys had seven Top 10 hits despite competition from The Beatles. Gary talks about the hits, his famous father, and getting drafted.