Ethan Slater’s response to rumors that Ariana Grande’s ‘Imperfect for You’ Is About Him
Slater praised his Grammy-winning girlfriend, whom he met on the set of «Wicked,» saying, «She’s such an amazing performer.»
Was Ethan Slater the subject of Ariana Grande’s song «Imperfect for You»?
In a recent GQ Hype cover story interview that was released on October 30, Slater responded to fans’ conjectures that Grande’s poignant song «Eternal Sunshine» was written about her fiancé and Wicked co-star.
In July 2023, the pair’s romance was officially established after they met on the set of Wicked.
Fans have speculated that Grande and Slater’s courtship and the public attention they have gotten are some of the inspirations behind the March release of Eternal Sunshine.
However, Slater didn’t specifically say whether the song was about him when GQ questioned him about its lyrics.
«She’s such an amazing performer, and I think everyone knows how good she is [as] a recording artist and all that—but I’m just really blown away by the songwriting,» he stated to the publication.
Slater, who plays Boq in Wicked, a munchkin who has an unrequited infatuation on Grande’s character Glinda, adds, «I love that song.»
«Imperfect for You» has Grande talking about a complex love relationship in its lyrics.
«My boy, come take my hand / Throw your guitar and your clothes in the back seat / My love, they don’t understand / But I’ll hold your hurt in the box here beside me,» she belts out in the opening stanza.
Following Grande’s divorce from her husband, Dalton Gomez, and Slater’s divorce from his wife, Lilly Jay, with whom he has a 2-year-old son, the Grammy winner and Slater started dating.
Slater, whose divorce from Jay was finalized in September, responded to critics who have assumed certain things about his personal life in other parts of the GQ interview.
«Obviously, it was a really super big year,» he stated, «and I think there was something that was really difficult about things in your private life being commented on and looked at by the public.»
He went on, «There were a lot of significant changes in people’s private lives that were actually taking place, so it’s very difficult to watch people who have no idea what’s going on commenting on it and making assumptions about the people you care about.
It feels quite difficult to deal with that aspect of it.
«But, of course, it was an amazing year and a really beautiful thing,» said Slater, «and I’m just really excited.»
The Broadway musical Spongebob Squarepants: The Spongebob Squarepants star also said that she was «really, really proud» of Grande’s performance in Wicked.
His words, «She’s poured herself into it,»
«I’m really proud that I got to be there for that part of it, and I’m really excited to be there for this next step of it when the world gets to see the amazing thing that she did,» said Slater.
