Ariana Grande Unleashes Her Inner Catwoman in 'The Boy Is Mine' Music Video With Penn Badgley, Brandy, and Monica

It's been over a week since Ariana Grande dropped the purr-fect music video for "the boy is mine," and we still can't get over it. The music video is a total vibe. Released on June 7th, the video has already amassed over 16 million views on YouTube alone, proving that Ariana's feline alter ego is a hit.

Directed by Christian Breslauer, this visual feast is a playful mix of fantasy, humor, and cinematic storytelling that'll have you hitting replay. In this third single from her "eternal sunshine" album, Ariana channels her inner Catwoman in a whimsical NYC overrun by rats (Gotham City vibes, anyone?). The video kicks off with a nod to her album, featuring a commercial for a memory-rewriting clinic called "Brighter Days," a not-so-subtle reference to "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind." It's also a clever link to her previous music video, "we can't be friends (wait for your love)."

The story follows Catwoman Ariana on her quest to win the heart of Mayor Max Starling, played by the dreamy Penn Badgley (yes, that Penn Badgley of 'Gossip Girl' and 'You'). There's a hilarious subplot about NYC's real-life rat problem (mirroring Mayor Eric Adams' announcement of the city's first "National Urban Rats Summit" on May 22, 2024), with Badgley's character proposing to release feral cats to combat the infestation. Meanwhile, Ariana's brewing up a love potion to snag her man.

However, in true love story fashion, Max Starling sees through Catwoman's mask and falls for the real Grande. Things get even more interesting when Badgley's character smashes her love potion, which splatters into a heart shape with a "T" in the middle. Could this be a hint at the next video for "true story"? We're on the edge of our seats!

But wait, there's more! The video features surprise appearances by Monica and Brandy as news anchors reporting on the rat crisis – a clever nod to their iconic 1998 hit "The Boy Is Mine." Talk about a blast from the past!

Ariana's performance is the star of the show. She's funny, seductive, and totally captivating. It's also refreshing to see Penn Badgley as the object of an obsessive admirer, a stark contrast to his usual role as the stalker Joe Goldberg in "You."

The music video's success isn't just limited to YouTube. The single itself, released on March 8th, has seen a resurgence on the charts, climbing 7 positions to #76 on the Spotify Global Charts with over 182 million streams since its release. It's clear that "the boy is mine" is striking a chord with fans worldwide.

Bottom line: "the boy is mine" is a masterpiece. It's sexy, hilarious, and incredibly entertaining. Ariana Grande has once again proven she's a creative force to be reckoned with. This video is an absolute must-watch!

Ariana Grande - the boy is mine (Official Music Video):