Off The Table
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"Off the Table" is a song recorded by American singer
Ariana Grande Ariana Grande-Butera ( ; born June 26, 1993) is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Her four-octave vocal range has received critical acclaim, and her personal life has been the subject of widespread media attention. She has received ...
and Canadian singer
the Weeknd Abel Makkonen Tesfaye (born February 16, 1990), known professionally as the Weeknd, is a Canadian singer, songwriter, record producer, and actor. Known for his sonic versatility and dark lyricism, his music explores escapism, Romance (love), ...
from the former's sixth studio album '' Positions'' (2020). The two wrote the song while its composers were Grande, Steven Franks, Travis Sayles, and its producers Tommy Brown and Shintaro. It is a slow emotional R&B ballad about rekindling a romantic relationship, which received generally positive reviews from
music critics Music journalism (or music criticism) is media criticism and reporting about music topics, including popular music, classical music, and traditional music. Journalists began writing about music in the eighteenth century, providing commentary on w ...
. A live performance music video of "Off the Table" was released on July 21, 2021.


Background

Grande and the Weeknd last collaborated on "
Love Me Harder "Love Me Harder" is a song by American singer Ariana Grande and Canadian singer the Weeknd from Grande's second studio album, '' My Everything'' (2014). It was written by the Weeknd, Max Martin, Savan Kotecha, Peter Svensson, Ali Payami and Belly ...
" from Grande's second studio album '' My Everything'' (2014). "Off the Table" was announced on October 24, 2020, when Grande posted a picture on social media which contained the full tracklist of ''Positions''. The song is believed to be related to Grande's ex-boyfriend, the late
Mac Miller Malcolm James McCormick (January 19, 1992 – September 7, 2018), known professionally as Mac Miller, was an American rapper and record producer. Miller began his career in Pittsburgh's hip hop scene in 2007, at the age of fifteen. In 2010, h ...
. Grande and Miller broke up in May 2018, after dating for two and a half years. She subsequently started a new relationship with
Pete Davidson Peter Michael Davidson (born November 16, 1993) is an American comedian and actor. He was a cast member of the NBC late-night sketch comedy series ''Saturday Night Live'' (SNL) for eight seasons, running from 2014 to 2022. Davidson's ...
. The two got engaged in June 2018, but their relationship ended shortly after Miller passed away in September 2018 from an overdose. In an interview, Grande revealed that she feared not being able to fall in love again after experiencing certain things and going through traumatic events. She said that it deserves to be expressed and to "come out", adding that "once you write something, it kind of goes away a little bit as well". She felt that "expressing it made it feel so much less legitimate". In the song, the Weeknd played the role of a "perfect dream reaction to a fear like that being expressed", according to Grande. To ensure that the song reflects some sort of reality, she caught up with the Weeknd and "talked about life and everything" before the writing process began, briefing him on the matter and giving him a sum up of her experiences. "He kind of, I think, wrote his verse from a perspective of a person that would be filling certain shoes and what I've heard that has felt nice." She praised the Weeknd for "doing a great phenomenal job writing that", and considered the song a "perfect centerpiece" to the album because it "make every other song on the album make so much more sense". Grande said that after she received "a pack of beats" from producer Shintaro, she wrote a
verse Verse may refer to: Poetry * Verse, an occasional synonym for poetry * Verse, a metrical structure, a stanza * Blank verse, a type of poetry having regular meter but no rhyme * Free verse, a type of poetry written without the use of strict me ...
and the
chorus Chorus may refer to: Music * Chorus (song) or refrain, line or lines that are repeated in music or in verse * Chorus effect, the perception of similar sounds from multiple sources as a single, richer sound * Chorus form, song in which all verse ...
before sending it over to the Weeknd to seek his approval. "I was like, 'is this okay?' And he was like, 'yeah, I'm gonna write the second verse.' And I was like, 'okay. She described it as "a very intimate moment and writing process between two friends".


Composition

"Off the Table" is a slow emotional R&B ballad about rekindling a romantic relationship. Lyrically, the song describes the process of healing and the difficulty of moving on from a tragic end to a relationship, questioning the existence of love after repeated attempts to search for it had failed. Grande starts the song by addressing Miller directly: "Will I ever love the same way again? / Will I ever love somebody like the way I did you? / Never thought you'd be so damn hard to replace." Grande struggles to decide whether she is prepared to move on and go into a more serious relationship with her then-boyfriend Dalton Gomez, after losing Miller. In one verse, she sings about her confusion: "Might not be quite yet healed or ready / Should I be goin' too steady? / But I just wanna know is love complеtely off the table?" The Weeknd, on the other hand, sings from the point of view of a new romantic partner, calming her fears by assuring that he is willing to wait however long it takes for her to get ready for a future relationship. At the end of "Off the Table", Grande samples Miller's song "2009" from his 2018 album ''
Swimming Swimming is the self-propulsion of a person through water, or other liquid, usually for recreation, sport, exercise, or survival. Locomotion is achieved through coordinated movement of the limbs and the body to achieve hydrodynamic thrust that r ...
'', as she also did in " Ghostin", which is widely assumed to be about her inability to let go of Miller. Dani Blum of ''
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'' wrote of the composition of the track: "The song blooms over wisps of strings and heavy, heady drums, like an artifact from his ''
Trilogy A trilogy is a set of three works of art that are connected and can be seen either as a single work or as three individual works. They are commonly found in literature, film, and video games, and are less common in other art forms. Three-part wor ...
'' mixtapes." Alyssa Bailey of ''
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'' felt that it "offers an intimate look into Grande's headspace and healing process". Louise Bruton of ''
The Irish Times ''The Irish Times'' is an Irish daily broadsheet newspaper and online digital publication. It launched on 29 March 1859. The editor is Ruadhán Mac Cormaic. It is published every day except Sundays. ''The Irish Times'' is considered a newspaper ...
'' wrote that "Grande reveals carefully thought-out vulnerabilities" on "Off the Table".


Critical reception

Brenton Blanchet of '' Clash'' noted that the song "thrive off their ability to keep production minimal for those home-run vocal moments". Wongo Okon of ''
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'' considered the track "one of the many highlights" on the album. Carolyn Twersky of ''
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'' found the song to be "absolutely heartbreaking", praising Grande for her ability to "elicit all the feels with her music", writing that she "could not be more moved" by the ballad. Carl Wilson of ''
Slate Slate is a fine-grained, foliated, homogeneous metamorphic rock derived from an original shale-type sedimentary rock composed of clay or volcanic ash through low-grade regional metamorphism. It is the finest grained foliated metamorphic rock. ...
'' views "Off the Table" as one of a few songs that compose "the core of the record". Ross Horton of ''
The Line of Best Fit ''The Line of Best Fit'' is an independent online magazine based in London, concentrating on new music. It publishes independent music reviews, features, interview, and media. Founded by Richard Thane in February 2007 and currently edited by P ...
'' called the song "magical music", writing that it "evokes prime Mariah in its breathless romance, its hot and heavy sensuality", highlighting the Weeknd's voice for "sounding comfortable and supple, relaxed and controlled in his delivery".
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's Kathryn Knight opined that the song demonstrates Grande's collaborations "do not disappoint", calling Grande and the Weeknd's vocals "stunning" when put together. Shrusti Goswami of ''
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'' believed that the collaboration "stood out from the rest of her solo tracks", writing that Grande and the Weeknd "mesh so perfectly" without "sacrific ngtheir music style for the song". Bobby Olivier of ''
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'' applauded the track's "showstopping vocal finish", which allowed "Grande's soaring
soprano A soprano () is a type of classical female singing voice and has the highest vocal range of all voice types. The soprano's vocal range (using scientific pitch notation) is from approximately middle C (C4) = 261  Hz to "high A" (A5) = 880&n ...
oshine". ''
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''s Jason Lipshutz positioned "Off the Table" at number nine in his ranking of all 14 songs on ''Positions''. He found the song "more meditative" than "Love Me Harder", underscoring the two artists' ability to "pull off a tricky songwriting concept". ''
The Daily Telegraph ''The Daily Telegraph'', known online and elsewhere as ''The Telegraph'', is a national British daily broadsheet newspaper published in London by Telegraph Media Group and distributed across the United Kingdom and internationally. It was fo ...
''s Kate Solomon commended the Weeknd's vocals and remarked that "their voices complement each other beautifully". However, she regarded the song as "a bit of a slog", framing it as "an indulgent,
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-esque showboat for the credits of a forgettable film". Writing for ''
Consequence of Sound ''Consequence'' (previously ''Consequence of Sound'') is an independently owned New York-based online magazine featuring news, editorials, and reviews of music, movies, and television. In addition, the website also features the Festival Outlook ...
'', Mary Siroky felt that "anyone interested in hearing Ariana with The Weeknd should just go ahead and revisit 2014's 'Love Me Harder' instead of spending too much time with 'Off the Table'". Similarly, Hannah Mylrea of ''
NME ''New Musical Express'' (''NME'') is a British music, film, gaming, and culture website and brand. Founded as a newspaper in 1952, with the publication being referred to as a 'rock inkie', the NME would become a magazine that ended up as a f ...
'' considered "Love Me Harder" to be vastly superior to "Off the Table", deeming the Weeknd's presence an "unnecessary guest appearance" that adds little to the substance of the song.
Alexis Petridis Alexis Petridis ( el, Αλέξης Πετρίδης; born 13 September 1971) is a British journalist, head rock and pop critic for the UK newspaper ''The Guardian'', as well as a regular contributor to the magazine '' GQ''. In addition to his mus ...
of ''
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'' expressed disapproval of the "burst of extemporised singing" at the end of the song, describing the episode as Grande and the Weeknd "apparently attempting odeafen each other". Shaad D'Souza of ''
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'' wrote that the song abandons "the hallmarks of her songwriting circa-''
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'' and ''
Thank U, Next ''Thank U, Next'' is the fifth studio album by American singer Ariana Grande, released on February 8, 2019, by Republic Records. It was released six months after her fourth studio album '' Sweetener'' (2018), conceived in the midst of Grande ...
'', instead going for something more understated and, as such, underwhelming". He believed Grande opted for a writing style which required skills she never possessed. Adam White of ''
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'' also called the song a disappointment.


Year-end lists

Karla Rodriguez and Deborah Cardoso from ''
Complex Complex commonly refers to: * Complexity, the behaviour of a system whose components interact in multiple ways so possible interactions are difficult to describe ** Complex system, a system composed of many components which may interact with each ...
'' staff ranked "Off the Table" as the third best song of 2020.


Credits and personnel

Credits adapted from
Tidal Tidal is the adjectival form of tide. Tidal may also refer to: * ''Tidal'' (album), a 1996 album by Fiona Apple * Tidal (king), a king involved in the Battle of the Vale of Siddim * TidalCycles, a live coding environment for music * Tidal (servic ...
and the liner notes of ''Positions''.


Personnel

*
Ariana Grande Ariana Grande-Butera ( ; born June 26, 1993) is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Her four-octave vocal range has received critical acclaim, and her personal life has been the subject of widespread media attention. She has received ...
– lead vocals, background vocals, vocal production, vocal arrangement, audio engineering *
The Weeknd Abel Makkonen Tesfaye (born February 16, 1990), known professionally as the Weeknd, is a Canadian singer, songwriter, record producer, and actor. Known for his sonic versatility and dark lyricism, his music explores escapism, Romance (love), ...
– vocals * Tommy Brown – production * Shintaro – production * Mr. Franks – co-production * Travis Sayles – co-production * Billy Hickey – audio engineering, mix engineering * Shin Kamiyama – audio engineering * David Campbell – strings arrangement *
Steve Churchyard Steve Churchyard is an English record producer, recording engineer and mixer who began his career at Sir George Martin’s AIR Studios in London. He currently resides in the United States. He has been nominated for 15 Grammy awards. In 2008 he wo ...
– strings audio engineering * Jeff Fitzpatrick – strings audio engineering assistance *
Serban Ghenea Șerban Ghenea (born October 13, 1969) is a Grammy award-winning Romanian-Canadian audio engineer and mixer. Early life and education Ghenea was born in Bucharest, Romania in 1969. In 1976 he moved to Montreal with his family. He later attended ...
– mixing *
Randy Merrill Randy Merrill is an American mastering engineer who has worked with international artists including DAY6, Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, Maroon 5, Harry Styles, One Direction, Adele, Imagine Dragons, Beck, Liam Gallagher, Jonas Brothers, Muse, Cage the ...
– mastering * Gerry Hilera – concert mastering, violin * Mario de Leon – violin * Ellen Jung – violin * Ana Landauer – violin * Phillip Levy – violin * Lorand Lokuszta – violin * Michele Richards – violin * Neil Samples – violin * Ashoka Thiagarajan – violin * David Walther – viola * Rodney Wirtz – viola * Paula Hochhalter – cello * Ross Gadsworth – cello


Recording and management

* Recorded at Grande's house (
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) * Orchestra recorded at Capitol Recording Studios (Los Angeles, California) * Mixed at MixStar Studios (
Virginia Beach, Virginia Virginia Beach is an independent city located on the southeastern coast of the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. The population was 459,470 at the 2020 census. Although mostly suburban in character, it is the most populous city ...
) * Mastered at Sterling Sound (
New York, New York New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the most densely populated major city in the Uni ...
) * The Weeknd appears courtesy of XO/
Republic Records Republic Records is a New York City–based American record label owned by Universal Music Group (UMG). It was founded by Avery Lipman and Monte Lipman as an independent label in 1995, and was acquired by UMG in 2000. Republic was initially an ...


Notes

* Physical releases of ''Positions'' credit the Weeknd as a featured artist. * Physical releases of ''Positions'' credit Grande and the Weeknd for "lyrics and melodies".


Charts


References


External links

* * {{The Weeknd songs 2020s ballads 2020 songs Ariana Grande songs Contemporary R&B ballads Male–female vocal duets Song recordings produced by Tommy Brown (record producer) Songs written by Ariana Grande Songs written by the Weeknd Songs written by Tommy Brown (record producer) The Weeknd songs