Some fans are calling out Jhené Aiko and Big Sean over Ariana Grande's album 'Eternal Sunshine.' Here's the drama, explained.
Ariana Grande asked fans to stop "sending hateful messages" after debuting her new album, "Eternal Sunshine."
Some fans criticized Jhené Aiko, who they believe shaded Grande in an Instagram post.
The pair both have projects named "Eternal Sunshine" and had a relationship with rapper Big Sean.
Some fans of Ariana Grande are calling out Big Sean and Jhené Aiko following the release of her new album, "Eternal Sunshine."
Grande admonished her fans in an Instagram Stories post on Saturday, just one day after the album hit streaming sites. "Eternal Sunshine" is Grande's seventh album and her first one since 2020, prompting substantial fanfare from her fans.
Business Insider's Callie Ahlgrim reported that the album's name derives from Michel Gondry's 2004 film "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind."
"Anyone that is sending hateful messages to the people in my life based on your interpretation of this album is not supporting me and is absolutely doing the polar opposite of what I would ever encourage (and is also entirely misinterpreting the intention behind the music)," Grande wrote in the post viewed by Business Insider.
She added: "I ask that you please do not. It is not how to support me. It is the opposite. Although this album captures a lot of painful moments, it also is woven together with a through line of deep, sincere love. If you cannot hear that, please listen more closely."
Most of the fans' ire has been directed at Dalton Gomez, Grande's former husband, whom she divorced in October 2023. However, other corners of the internet have turned their attention toward rapper Big Sean and R&B singer Jhené Aiko, who some believe recently threw shade at Grande.
Big Sean has been romantically linked to both women — and Grande's album shares the same name as a song from Aiko's 2014 album, "Souled Out."
Here's the tea.
Big Sean and Grande dated for around eight months between 2014 and 2015.
Speculation around the former couple's relationship sparked in August 2014 when they were spotted kissing at a movie theatre, according to People. Big Sean and Grande later made their relationship public and attended the 57th Annual Grammy Awards together in February 2015.
The pair have collaborated on music, including "Right There" from Grande's first album and "Research" from Big Sean's third album. However, Grande and Big Sean called it quits in April 2015.
"They made the decision to part ways because their conflicting touring schedules would keep them apart over the next year," a source told E! News at the time.
That month, Aiko released the music video for her song "Eternal Sunshine" before working with Big Sean later that year.
Aiko's 2014 album "Souled Out" featured a song titled "Eternal Sunshine," which also references the 2004 film. She released the music video for the song in April 2015.
Genius notes that the lyrics discuss Aiko feeling "a sense of clarity from earlier decisions whilst on her path, and she begins to realize the good times and positive experiences that she had along with the bad."
By this time, she and Big Sean were already friends after meeting in 2012, People reported. By June 2015, Aiko collaborated with Big Sean on a song titled "I Know," featured on his third album, "Dark Sky Paradise.'
Big Sean and Aiko later released a joint eight-track album under the group name Twenty 88 in April 2016.
Aiko and Big Sean sparked dating rumors in June 2016, but were in full-fledged relationship by September 2017.
Rumors about Big Sean and Aiko making their friendship romantic hit a peak in June 2016, according to People. The pair performed at Power 105.1's Powerhouse festival, where they appeared touchy with each other onstage and shared a kiss at the end of the set.
Despite Aiko being engrossed in divorce proceedings from producer Dot Da Genius at the time, BET reported that Aiko and Big Sean often made appearances on each other Instagram accounts.
Aiko opened up about her relationship with Big Sean during a September 2017 interview with Billboard, suggesting he is the love of her life.
Aiko and Big Sean briefly broke up in March 2019, which is around the time he was spotted with Grande.
It's unclear when Aiko and Big Sean took a break, but People reported that Aiko confirmed the news in an Instagram comment in March 2019.
One month earlier, TMZ photographed Big Sean and Grande hanging out together.
Fans believed Aiko dissed Grande in her November 2019 song, "None of Your Concern."
That November, Aiko released the song and music video for "None of Your Concern," which outlets like Capital Xtra reported may have referenced Big Sean and Grande.
"I been hearing things/ And seeing things/ And so it seems you're moving on from me/ Caught you on the scene/ With little miss thing/ And trust me, she really don't want beef," Aiko says.
Aiko and Big Sean were still publicly supportive of each other during their break up, but appeared to patch up their relationship by March 2021 when they attended the 64th Annual Grammy Awards together. The couple later welcomed a baby boy in November 2022.
Now, fans think Aiko threw shade at Grande with a now-deleted Instagram Stories post.
Online entertainment blog Buzzing Pop shared a screenshot from Aiko's Instagram Stories on Friday. The post featured her song "Eternal Sunshine" with a picture that read: "Careful! We quickly get used to most things and easily forget how amazing they are."
The post prompted some fans to criticize Aiko and Big Sean on X, formerly known as Twitter.
"Big Sean must've been playing Ariana's new album or something," one user wrote, referencing Aiko's post.
Another added: "jhene aiko shading ariana grande on instagram was unexpected, but i don't care, it's just free promo."
Representatives for Grande, Aiko, and Big Sean did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider.
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