They just don’t miss. Seriously.
When you look at the track record of the weeknd ariana grande, it feels less like a series of business transactions and more like a generational lightning strike that keeps hitting the same spot. It’s been over a decade since they first linked up, and somehow, the internet still loses its collective mind every time a grainy snippet of them in a studio surfaces.
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But why?
Pop music is usually a revolving door of "flavor of the month" features. You get a hot rapper on a bridge, a bridge to a chorus, and then everyone moves on. With Abel Tesfaye and Ariana, it's different. There’s this weird, almost supernatural vocal symmetry where his jagged, R&B grit meets her precision-engineered pop runs. It shouldn't work as well as it does, yet they’ve managed to turn "remix culture" into a legitimate art form.
The 2026 Reveal: The Songs We Never Heard
We actually just got some massive news. In January 2026, Ariana finally addressed the "vault" in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter. She confirmed what fans had suspected for years: there is a whole batch of unreleased the weeknd ariana grande songs that were scrapped.
She basically said the material "wasn't right for the time."
Think about that for a second. We’re talking about two of the biggest artists on the planet sitting on a gold mine of hits because the "vibe" wasn't perfect. It shows a level of gatekeeping regarding their own legacy that you don't see often. They aren't just chasing a check; they are protecting the brand of their collaboration.
How It All Started: Love Me Harder
Back in 2014, Abel wasn't "The Weeknd" the world knows now. He was the dark, mysterious kid from Toronto who made "drug music" and hadn't quite figured out if he wanted to be a global pop star. Ariana, meanwhile, was shedding her Nickelodeon skin.
"Love Me Harder" changed everything for both of them.
- The Peak: It hit number seven on the Billboard Hot 100.
- The Impact: It proved Abel could play in the pop sandbox without losing his edge.
- The Rumors: The chemistry in that video was so thick you could cut it with a knife, sparking dating rumors that honestly never really died down.
The Strategy of the Remix
Most people think of a remix as a lazy way to get more streams. With these two, it's a rescue mission.
Take "Die For You." That song was originally on the Starboy album in 2016. It was a great track, sure, but it wasn't a world-beater. Fast forward seven years to 2023. The song goes viral on TikTok, Abel gives Ari a call, and she records her verse after a 14-hour day on the Wicked set.
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Boom. Number one on the Hot 100.
They did the exact same thing with "Save Your Tears." The original was already a massive hit, but the remix version added a layer of narrative complexity—a conversation between two people who keep running away from each other. That’s the "Ariana effect." She doesn't just sing a verse; she adds a counter-perspective.
Is There a Secret History?
If you spend five minutes on Reddit, you'll see the theories. Some fans are convinced that half of Dawn FM is secretly about Ariana. They point to lyrics in "I Heard You’re Married" or "Gasoline" (referencing R.E.M., which is Ari's brand).
Is it true?
Probably not. Abel is a master of the "mysterious protagonist" trope, and Ariana has been through a very public marriage and divorce. But the fact that people want it to be true says a lot about their professional intimacy. They trust each other. Abel has gone on record saying, "That woman is a beast on Pro Tools," which is high praise from a guy known for being a studio perfectionist.
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The Numbers Don't Lie
If you're wondering just how dominant the weeknd ariana grande are as a unit, look at the 2023 and 2024 data. "Save Your Tears" (Remix) didn't just top the charts; it became one of the most-streamed songs in history. By early 2025, it was sitting at over 4 billion combined streams.
- Number One Hits: Both artists secured their seventh #1 with "Die For You."
- Global Reach: They are consistently the top two most-streamed artists on Spotify.
- Longevity: Their 2014 collab still pulls millions of views a month.
It’s rare to see two artists at the absolute peak of their powers collaborate this frequently without the public getting bored. It’s because they treat their voices like instruments that belong together.
What’s Next for the Duo?
The big question in 2026 is whether we'll ever get a full collaborative EP. Fans have been begging for it since the Positions era when "Off the Table" dropped. That song was a lot more stripped back and emotional, proving they don't need a synth-pop beat to make an impact.
Right now, Ariana is heavily tied up with the Wicked rollout and her own ventures, and Abel is transitioning into his "Hurry Up Tomorrow" era. But given their history, a surprise drop is never out of the cards. They seem to communicate in a way that bypasses traditional label politics.
If you want to dive deeper into their discography, start by listening to the "Die For You" remix and then immediately jump back to "Love Me Harder." You can literally hear them growing up through the speakers.
Next Steps for Fans:
- Check out the "Save Your Tears" live performance from the iHeartRadio Music Awards; it's widely considered their best vocal "battle."
- Listen to "Off the Table" with high-quality headphones to catch the vocal layering Abel mentioned in his interviews.
- Keep an eye on their social media captions—they almost always tease their collabs with specific emojis weeks in advance.