Why are we still talking about the Positions era? Honestly, it’s because it feels like a fever dream that ended way too soon. In 2020, Ariana Grande was on a roll, dropping a surprise R&B-infused album that felt intimate, domestic, and—let’s be real—pretty spicy. But for every photo we saw of her in that retro 60s hair and those pillbox hats, there was a whole world of visuals that just... vanished.
The Ariana Grande Positions unreleased photoshoot has become something of a holy grail for Arianators. It’s not just about wanting more content. It’s about the fact that Ariana herself recently admitted she scrapped a massive chunk of the era’s creative output because of how the public reacted.
You’ve probably seen the grainy leaks on Twitter (now X) or TikTok. Maybe you saw that 4K leak of the "POV" music video that fans allegedly paid thousands to get their hands on. But the story behind these lost images goes deeper than just a "scrapped" project. It’s a look into how one of the world's biggest pop stars handles rejection.
The Dave Meyers and Stefan Kohli Connection
When we talk about the Positions visuals, two names come up constantly: Dave Meyers and Stefan Kohli. Dave Meyers, the visionary who directed the "Positions" music video, was also the man behind the lens for the official album covers. You know the ones—the black-and-white, high-glamour beauty shots where she’s rocking the mod aesthetic.
But here’s the thing. There wasn't just one shoot.
According to behind-the-scenes logs, the primary album shoot happened on September 12, 2020. While we got three official covers (including the limited edition CDs), there were dozens of alternate setups. Some of these leaked years later, showing Ariana in a topless, more "raw" aesthetic that felt vastly different from the polished 60s housewife vibe we eventually got.
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Then there’s Stefan Kohli. He’s been a staple in her creative circle for years, even photographing her wedding. Kohli was heavily involved in the Positions era, particularly the "POV" visuals. The unreleased "POV" shoot featured an ethereal, mystical forest theme—very different from the clinical, presidential look of the title track.
Why Did the Visuals Get Scrapped?
In 2024, Ariana sat down for an interview on the Las Culturistas podcast. She got surprisingly vulnerable about the Positions era. She basically said that when the album first dropped, the reception was... lukewarm.
"I just got a little bit of, 'This is not what we want' vibes," she told hosts Bowen Yang and Matt Rogers.
Imagine being Ariana Grande. You’ve just come off the back-to-back highs of Sweetener and thank u, next. You release something soulful and mature, and the internet responds with "it's too slow" or "the hair is weird." For a self-described "sensitive artist" and a Cancer zodiac sign, that feedback was a gut punch.
She admitted that the criticism put her in a "cage" of self-judgment. Consequently, she pulled the plug. She scrapped music videos, she stopped posting the IG clips she’d filmed of her lip-syncing to the tracks, and she shelved the Ariana Grande Positions unreleased photoshoot because she didn't feel like the world wanted to see it.
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It's kinda wild to think about now. In 2026, Positions is often cited by fans as one of her best-produced, most "vocal-heavy" albums. It was a slow burn. But at the time? She was done with it.
What the Leaks Actually Showed
If you’ve spent any time in the darker corners of the fandom, you’ve seen the leaks. These aren't just "extra photos." They represent a version of the era that was much more experimental.
- The Forest Visuals: These were intended for "POV." Think mossy logs, soft lighting, and a very "natural" Ariana. It was a sharp contrast to the high-fashion, artificial lighting of the promo shots.
- The Studio Outtakes: There are several shots from the Dave Meyers session that didn't make the cut. Some feature more dramatic posing, while others are candid moments that show a more playful side of the shoot.
- The Deleted IG Content: Ariana had filmed several "visualizers" for songs like "West Side" and "Love Language." These were basically mini-photoshoots in motion. Most were never posted.
The Ethics of the Leaks
It’s complicated, right? As a fan, you want to see everything. You want to see the art she created. But there's a reason she didn't release it.
When the "POV" video leaked in 4K in May 2023, it caused a massive rift in the fandom. Some people were celebrating the "new" content, while others pointed out that it was a massive invasion of privacy. Ariana herself has addressed the constant leaks of her music and photoshoots on TikTok, telling fans, "You've stolen all of my unreleased music... it’s impossible to keep things from you."
There’s a real human cost to this. If an artist feels like their "work in progress" or their "scrapped" ideas are going to be sold by hackers for $3,000, they might stop taking risks. They might stop filming extra content altogether.
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How to Find the Remaining Official Visuals
If you want to appreciate the era without supporting the "leak" economy, there are still plenty of official, high-quality resources that often get overlooked:
- Dave Meyers’ Portfolio: His official website occasionally features high-res photography from the Positions sessions that weren't used for the primary album marketing.
- The Vevo Live Performances: While not a "photoshoot" in the traditional sense, these are the only official high-fidelity visuals we have for songs like "my hair," "safety net," and "POV." They were shot with the same creative direction as the scrapped visuals.
- The Positions Deluxe Vinyl: The physical releases of the deluxe edition actually contain some of the "alternate" shots that people often mistake for leaks.
- Stefan Kohli’s Socials: He occasionally shares "throwback" behind-the-scenes photos that provide a legitimate look into the creative process without infringing on scrapped projects.
The Positions era was a transition. It was the bridge between the "pop star" Ariana of the 2010s and the "artist/actress" Ariana we see today in Wicked. Those unreleased photos aren't just "lost" media—they're a snapshot of a woman trying to figure out how much of herself she wanted to share with a world that wasn't always kind.
If you’re looking to dive deeper into the aesthetics of the era, your best bet is to look at the mood boards created by the creative team. Stefan Kohli’s work often emphasizes film grain and intimate framing, which is a far more authentic way to "vibe" with the era than hunting down grainy, stolen files on Telegram.
Instead of searching for "leaked" folders, check out the official photography portfolios of the people she actually trusts. You'll find the same quality and the same "vibe," but you'll be seeing the art as it was intended to be seen. You might find that the official outtakes are actually better than the "secret" ones everyone is whispering about.