Ariana Grande’s ‘Sympathy is a Knife’ Hits Top 10 on New Dance/Pop Chart with Charli XCX
“Sympathy is a Knife,” the collaboration between Charli XCX and Ariana Grande, reached No. 6 on Billboard’s Hot Dance/Pop Songs chart. This marks Grande’s first appearance on the chart.
Released Oct. 11 on XCX’s album “Brat,” the song climbed to No. 1 on Dance/Electronic Streaming Songs. It marks Grande’s fourth song atop this streaming chart.
“She had a lot to say. We went back and forth on the lyrics, talking about all the knives that we both felt in this industry,” Charli XCX told Billboard.
Charli XCX’s new album features a lineup of collaborators that includes Tinashe, The 1975, and Bon Iver. The album’s popularity shows in its chart success, with six songs making the Hot Dance/Pop Songs list. Four grabbed top spots.
Behind the scenes, the artists formed a genuine friendship. Before a TV spot, Charli XCX reached out to Grande for guidance. “She’d obviously just done [SNL in September] and killed it, so I was getting tips. She was just like, ‘You’re gonna be amazing, just relax, it’s so fun.'”
The album’s other hits — “Apple,” “360,” and “Guess” with Billie Eilish — landed at spots 2, 3, and 4. They appear alongside hits from Katy Perry, The Weeknd, and Kesha.
Since dropping her first album, “Yours Truly,” in 2013, Grande has moved between musical styles, from R&B to dance music. Now she has transitioned back into acting, debuting as Glinda in the movie “Wicked.”
