You’ve probably had that high-pitched, almost breathless line stuck in your head for days. It pops up on TikTok transitions, Instagram reels, and in the back of your mind while you’re doing the dishes. "Excuse me, um, I love you." Or, as many people search for it, who sings excuse me i think you love me?
The short answer is Ariana Grande. But the long answer? That's where it gets interesting.
The line isn't actually "I think you love me." It’s "I love you." It comes from the song "R.E.M" off her 2018 album Sweetener. If you’re a casual listener, you might have missed the studio version and caught the live snippet instead. That specific, slightly shy delivery has become a bit of a cultural touchstone. It’s funny how a five-second vocal run can define an entire era of pop music, but that’s basically the Ariana Grande effect in a nutshell.
Why Everyone Is Asking Who Sings Excuse Me I Think You Love Me
Social media has a weird way of rewriting lyrics. Because the song is about a dream—literally, "R.E.M" stands for Rapid Eye Movement—the vibe is hazy and ethereal. People often mishear the line as "I think you love me" because it fits the narrative of a crush or a new relationship.
Ariana’s enunciation has always been a hot topic for fans. She prioritizes the "vocal shape" and the melody over crisp consonants. This isn't a mistake; it's a stylistic choice she’s leaned into since Dangerous Woman. In "R.E.M," she’s whispering, giggling, and layering vocals. It’s intimate. When you’re listening through phone speakers on a compressed TikTok clip, "um, I love you" easily morphs into "I think you love me."
Honestly, the confusion also stems from the Netflix concert film. Released in 2020, the film is titled excuse me, i love you. This cemented the phrase in the public consciousness, even for people who don't know the full discography. It’s a branding masterclass. By naming the movie after a throwaway-style intro line, she turned a cute studio moment into a global trademark.
The Pharrell Williams Connection
Most people don’t realize that "R.E.M" wasn’t originally an Ariana Grande song. It has a secret history. It started as a demo titled "Wake Up" by Beyoncé.
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Yes, Queen Bey.
Pharrell Williams produced it, and you can still find snippets of the Beyoncé version floating around the darker corners of the internet. It has a heavier, more rhythmic soul feel. When the track eventually moved to Ariana, she transformed it. She stripped back some of the grit and replaced it with that dreamy, "cloud-like" atmosphere. Pharrell’s production is all over the track—the clicking sounds, the minimalist beat, and the focus on vocal percussion.
When you ask who sings excuse me i think you love me, you’re technically asking about a Pharrell-produced dreamscape that almost belonged to the biggest star on the planet before it became Ariana’s signature "Sweetener" moment.
The Viral Power of a "Stutter"
The "um" is the most important part of the lyric. It’s human. In a world of over-tuned, perfect pop vocals, hearing a superstar act shy is relatable. That "excuse me, um..." is what creators use to soundtrack their "get ready with me" videos or soft-launching a new partner.
Ariana has a habit of doing this. Think about the "yuh" in thank u, next or the breathy laughs in 7 rings. These aren't just ad-libs; they are hooks. They are designed to be caught by the ear and held onto.
If you go back and listen to the live version from the Sweetener World Tour, the crowd goes absolutely feral for that specific line. She usually performs it while sitting on the edge of the stage or interacting with fans. It’s the "peak" of the song’s emotional arc. It takes the listener from a state of dreaming (the verses) into a moment of "reality" (the spoken-word-style bridge).
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Does Anyone Else Sing It?
Because it’s so popular, there are dozens of covers. You’ll find sped-up versions on SoundCloud and "lo-fi" remixes on YouTube that use the vocal sample. This adds to the confusion.
- TikTok Sounds: There are "nightcore" versions where her voice is pitched even higher, making it sound almost like a different artist or a character from an anime.
- Acapella Groups: Because the harmony is so tight, many college acapella groups have tackled the "R.E.M" arrangement.
- The "Slowed + Reverb" Trend: This is where the "I think you love me" mishearing really thrives. When you slow the track down by 20%, the syllables stretch, and the "um" starts to sound like "think."
But despite the covers, the original is always Ariana.
Understanding the "Sweetener" Era Sound
To really get why this song hits, you have to look at what was happening in 2018. Pop music was transitioning. We were moving away from the EDM-heavy "stomp" of the mid-2010s and into something more experimental and R&B-influenced.
Ariana was working through immense personal grief and public scrutiny. Sweetener was her way of "bringing light to a situation." The song "R.E.M" is the centerpiece of that philosophy. It’s about a relationship so good you don't want to wake up.
- Minimalism: The track doesn't have a traditional "big" chorus.
- Vocal Layering: Ariana records her own harmonies, sometimes stacking 20 or 30 tracks of her own voice to create a "wall of sound."
- Conversational Lyrics: Using phrases like "Excuse me" makes the song feel like a private conversation rather than a performance.
How to Find the Song Right Now
If you want to hear the full version and not just the clip, head to any streaming platform and look for:
- Artist: Ariana Grande
- Song Title: R.E.M
- Album: Sweetener
You can also check out the K Bye for Now (WTT) live album. The live version has a slightly different energy and includes more of those "excuse me" ad-libs that people love.
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The influence of this one line is a testament to how modern music works. You don't need a massive radio hit to stay relevant. You just need a "moment." A moment that is five seconds long, sounds like a whisper, and makes people feel like they’re in on a secret.
What to Do Next
If you’ve been searching for who sings excuse me i think you love me, your next move is to listen to the full Sweetener album from start to finish. It’s widely considered by music critics—and her most devoted fans—to be her most cohesive and artistic work.
Pay close attention to the transition between the intro "Raindrops (An Angel Cried)" and the rest of the tracks. It sets the stage for the dreamlike quality of "R.E.M."
Also, if you're a fan of the production style, look up Pharrell Williams' work with other female pop artists. You can hear echoes of the "R.E.M" drum patterns in his work with Gwen Stefani and Solange. Understanding the producer's "thumbprint" helps you realize why certain songs get stuck in your head more than others.
Stop settling for the 15-second TikTok clip. The full four minutes of "R.E.M" is a much better experience. Turn off the "sped up" filters, put on some decent headphones, and listen to the way those harmonies actually move. You’ll realize the song is less about the words and more about the feeling of being half-asleep and totally in love.