Ever walked into a Tiffany & Co. and walked out with seven diamond rings for your best friends? Probably not. Most of us go for a keychain or maybe a necklace if it’s a big year. But Ariana Grande isn’t most people. In late 2018, after a brutal breakup with Pete Davidson and the devastating loss of Mac Miller, Grande took her "besties" to Tiffany’s in New York. They got tipsy on champagne. She bought the rings. And just like that, a friendship anthem—and a massive legal headache—was born.
Ariana Grande 7 rings isn't just a song about flex culture. It’s a case study in how modern pop is built: part genuine emotion, part business transaction, and part "oops, did I just sample that?"
The Tiffany’s Trip That Cost More Than You Think
The story goes that Ariana was having a "rough day" in NYC. To cheer her up, she took six of her closest friends to the iconic jewelry store. We’re talking Victoria Monét, Tayla Parx, Courtney Chipolone, Njomza, Alexa Luria, and Kaydence. They were all there.
She bought seven rings. One for each of them.
When they got back to the studio, they didn't just have new jewelry; they had a hook. "I want it, I got it." It sounds like a bratty mantra, but for Grande, it was a way to reclaim her agency after a year where she felt like she had zero control over her life.
Honestly, the business side is where it gets weird. You probably recognize the melody. It’s "My Favorite Things" from The Sound of Music. It’s wholesome. It’s Julie Andrews. It’s also incredibly expensive.
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Why Rodgers and Hammerstein Own the Song
Here is the kicker: Ariana Grande barely makes money from the songwriting royalties of this track.
Because the song heavily interpolates the 1959 classic, her team at Republic Records had to cut a deal with Concord, the company that owns the Rodgers and Hammerstein catalog. Usually, a sample might cost you 15% or 50% if you’re unlucky.
Ariana’s team agreed to give away 90% of the songwriting royalties.
Imagine writing a song that spends eight weeks at Number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, racks up over 2.7 billion streams on Spotify, and you only see 10% of the publishing pie. Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II have been dead for decades, but they are arguably the biggest financial winners of the 2019 pop cycle.
That Pink Trap House and the Plagiarism Row
When the music video dropped, the internet went into a tailspin. Directed by Hannah Lux Davis, the visual is a neon-pink fever dream. It’s beautiful. It’s also suspiciously familiar to a few people.
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First, there was Princess Nokia. She hopped on Instagram and played her song "Mine" side-by-side with Ariana Grande 7 rings. The lyrics "It’s mine, I bought it" vs "I want it, I got it... just bought it" felt a little too close for comfort. Nokia basically called her out for "sounding white" while using a flow and subject matter—specifically about hair and weaves—that has deep roots in Black and Brown culture.
Then came 2 Chainz.
Then Soulja Boy.
2 Chainz pointed out the "pink trap house" aesthetic was basically the marketing campaign for his album Pretty Girls Like Trap Music. Soulja Boy was more blunt. He tweeted, "Give me my credit. Period." He claimed she stole the flow from "Pretty Boy Swag."
Did she? Music is iterative. Everyone borrows. But when you’re the biggest pop star on the planet, "borrowing" looks a lot like "taking." Grande eventually settled the tension with 2 Chainz by featuring him on the remix and appearing in his "Rule the World" video. It was a classic "keep your friends close and your litigators closer" move.
The Cultural Appropriation Conversation
We have to talk about the Japanese. Or the attempt at it.
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Ariana has a well-documented obsession with Japanese culture, but the Ariana Grande 7 rings era was peak "messy." She famously got a palm tattoo that was supposed to say "7 Rings" in Kanji ($七輪$).
Small problem. That actually translates to "shichirin," which is a small charcoal grill.
She tried to fix it by adding more characters, but it ended up translating to something like "small charcoal grill finger." It was a meme for weeks. Beyond the tattoo, critics argued the video used "trap" aesthetics and Japanese "kawaii" culture as costumes without acknowledging the history behind them. It’s a valid critique. Pop stars often treat culture like a buffet—taking the parts that look good on camera and leaving the rest.
Why 7 Rings Still Slaps in 2026
Despite the lawsuits and the "grill" tattoo, the song is an undeniable titan. It’s currently her most-streamed song on Spotify, sitting at nearly 3 billion plays. Why?
- The Tempo: It’s 140 BPM, which is the "sweet spot" for both club play and TikTok transitions.
- The "Me" Economy: It arrived right when people were pivoting from "I need a man" songs to "I have my own bag" anthems.
- The Vocal Delivery: She’s not just singing; she’s rapping-ish. It was a departure from her Dangerous Woman era.
If you’re a creator or an artist, there is a massive lesson here. Sampling is a double-edged sword. You can get a "guaranteed hit" by using a familiar melody, but you might lose your shirt in the negotiation.
How to use these insights today
- Check your samples early: If you’re using a melody from a classic, don't wait until the song is finished to clear it. Grande’s team had to accept that 90% deal because the song was already a lock for the album. They had no leverage.
- Acknowledge your influences: 2 Chainz was annoyed until he was included. Sometimes a "feature" is cheaper than a lawsuit.
- Research your ink: If you’re getting a tattoo in a language you don't speak, maybe don't trust a Google Image search. Consult a native speaker.
Ariana Grande 7 rings remains a fascinating moment in pop history where the line between tribute and theft got very, very blurry. It’s the sound of a woman who had everything and nothing all at once, deciding to buy her way out of the sadness—and taking her friends along for the ride.
Check out the original music video again and see if you spot the 2 Chainz references now that you know the backstory. It changes the vibe completely.