Ariana Grande's music video for her song "Petal" delves into the intense scrutiny and impossible standards faced by women in the public eye, drawing parallels to iconic film characters and narratives. The video's protagonist, an aspiring performer named Pepper, undergoes drastic image and personality changes in response to harsh industry feedback, ultimately depicting a descent into madness before a narrative twist reveals her as a famous actress documenting a similar struggle.

Grande has stated that the video serves as a commentary on her own complex relationship with fame and the constant public judgment she has experienced, particularly regarding her appearance. This theme is underscored by her recent decision to step back from the spotlight due to "endless, ongoing public scrutiny."

Cinematic Homages

The video is rich with symbolism, referencing several films that explore themes of female ambition, societal pressure, and psychological distress.

One prominent reference is to the 2024 film "The Substance," starring Demi Moore as an aging actress who uses a controversial cell-replicating substance to create a younger, idealized version of herself. "Petal" opens with a cracked star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, from which a daisy grows, wilting with each failed audition and recovering as the performer achieves success. This mirrors the fading of Elisabeth Sparkle's star in "The Substance" as her career declines with age. The casting bosses in "Petal" are also likened to the ruthless agent Harvey from "The Substance."

Another significant homage is to "Grease." At the beginning of the video, Pepper's audition attire is reminiscent of Sandy's modest initial look. After being criticized as "homely, boring and nothing special," she transforms into "sexy Sandy," channeling Olivia Newton-John's character's later, more provocative style. This transformation evokes discussions around "Grease" and its perceived promotion of a sexist narrative, where Sandy changes her appearance to maintain her relationship.

Grande's well-documented love for horror films is evident in references to "Pearl" and "Carrie." The scenes of aspiring actresses waiting for auditions and the intense desperation to please echo elements of "Pearl," which features a young woman driven to madness by isolation and the pursuit of stardom. The video's climax, with Pepper covered in blood, draws a striking resemblance to Sissy Spacek's character in "Carrie," who commits acts of violence after enduring relentless bullying and abuse.

Personal Reflections on Beauty and Aging

Grande has spoken about her own experiences with cosmetic procedures, noting a significant shift in her perspective. In a 2023 Vogue interview, she revealed that she stopped getting lip fillers and Botox in 2018 because she felt it was a form of hiding. She expressed a desire to embrace natural signs of aging, stating, "I just want to see my well-earned cry lines and smile lines."

She has voiced that beauty should not be about concealment and that aging can be a beautiful process. This personal reflection aligns with the themes of "Petal," which explores the extreme measures some women feel compelled to take in the face of relentless aesthetic judgment.

Grande has described "Petal" as an outlet for expressing "unfiltered rage," an emotion she typically hesitates to tap into. She noted that the song and video were created from a place of less filtering and more raw expression, a departure from her usual practice of extensive rewrites to soften the material. She characterized the work as "a little feral" and originating from a place she has previously been too polite to explore.