What is Hampstead? Lyrics of Ariana Grande's new track featuring the London neighborhood go viral online

96th Annual Academy Awards - Arrivals - Source: Getty
Ariana Grande at the 96th Annual Academy Awards (Image via Getty)

A deluxe edition of Ariana Grande's 2024 album, titled eternal sunshine: brighter days ahead, was released on March 28, 2025. The album features six new tracks, including Twilight Zone, Warm, Dandelion, and Hampstead. Following its release, the lyrics of Hampstead have been going viral on social media.

Ad

The emotional ballad generated speculations about whether the song addressed Ariana Grande's divorce from her ex-husband, Dalton Gomez, and her new romance with her Wicked co-star, Ethan Slater when the singer lived in Hampstead during the movie's filming.

For the unversed, Hampstead is a residential district in London, forming the northwest part of the London Borough of Camden. It is located near Hampstead Heath, a "wild park of woodland and meadows" sprawling over 800 acres, as stated on its website.

Ad

In Hampstead, Ariana Grande alluded to the criticism she faced after the news of her and Ethan Slater's relationship went public shortly after her divorce from Gomez, sparking allegations of infidelity.

"I left my heart at a pub in Hampstead/ And I misplaced my mind in a good way/ Threw away my reputation but saved us more heartache/ Yes, I know it seems f**ked up and you’re right/ But quite frankly you’re still wrong about everything," Grande sings in the first verse.
Ad
youtube-cover
Ad

Since its release, fans have started dissecting Hampstead's lyrics to decipher Ariana Grande's message, with the lines going viral on social media. The song's lyric visualizer video gained 333K views at the time of this article. Here are some of the fan theories regarding Hampstead's lyrics:

"Ariana’s pen is always sharp, but this line hits on another level. It’s a powerful statement on reclaiming your own narrative and choosing self-preservation over someone else’s perception," one fan wrote.
Ad
"Ariana repeatedly saying ‘i do’ in hampstead as a nod to her marriage with dalton and to her wedding vows," another person theorized.
"The parallel to pov and her wanting to know her partners view of herself, to getting that perspective and asking if she’s in the right relationship in intro, to fully comprehending and growing from that perspective in hampstead… oh ariana you’re a genius!" someone else added.
Ad
Ad

During her appearance on the Shut Up Evan in July 2024, Ariana Grande dubbed Hampstead as one of her "favorite songs" she ever wrote.


Ariana Grande shared her experience of living in Hampstead in a BBC Radio 1 interview

During a BBC Radio 1 interview in January 2025 with Ali Plumb, Ariana Grande spoke about her time in London, exploring Hamstead and "meandering around" the Heath.

Ad
“I was in Hampstead when I was here, and I loved my walks on the Heath. I loved meandering around and visiting different shops and places and pubs. I didn’t know what a Sunday roast was, but I know that that’s a thing now. I didn’t know what that was and now I do and I’m changed for the better," the singer said.
Ad

Grande added that she loved seeing dogs and Vizslas during her walks in Hampstead Heath, calling the place "delightful and fun."

Ad

For context, Ariana Grande was in London to film Wicked, which earned her an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress for her portrayal of Glinda. Both parts of Wicked were primarily filmed at Sky Studios Elstree, located on London's periphery.

Filming started in December 2022. However, it was paused in July 2023 due to the writer's strike. It resumed to conclude again in January 2024.


Ariana Grande's eternal sunshine: brighter days ahead is now available on all streaming platforms.

Edited by Riya Peter
Sportskeeda logo
Close menu
WWE
WWE
NBA
NBA
NFL
NFL
MMA
MMA
Tennis
Tennis
NHL
NHL
Golf
Golf
MLB
MLB
Soccer
Soccer
F1
F1
WNBA
WNBA
More
More
bell-icon Manage notifications