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"Borderline" (stylized in all lowercase) is the eleventh track from Ariana Grande's fourth studio album, Sweetener. The song features the American rapper Missy Elliott.[7] It was released through Republic Records on August 17, 2018.

Background[]

The track was first teased in a scene in the "No Tears Left To Cry" music video on April 19, 2018, which displayed what appeared to be the entire tracklist for Grande's upcoming album at the time, although the tracks were not in a specific order.[2] The song was teased and later hinted again in the "No Tears Left To Cry (Behind the scenes – Part 2)".

Grande confirmed the song in an interview with The Fader magazine, earlier in the year and revealed that it featured rapper Missy Elliott.[8]

On August 14, 2018, Grande teased more lyrics from the song.

During an magazine interview with Billboard on June 3, 2019, Missy shared what it was like working with Grande, saying: "First of all, Ariana is a great singer. I got a call from Pharrell saying Ariana wants to record the song you wrote on one of my beats. I was like, "Oh snap that’s fire!!" I was humbled and I didn’t even need to hear what she did because I know she’s a great vocalist. I wish we would have been in the studio together, but I was out of town at the time. Maybe next time we will be in the studio together, but she is doing her thang!"[9]

September 11, 2021, a YouTube Channel had posted and uploaded the first snippet of the demo on to their channel.[10] One year later on April 27, 2022, another channel had posted 7 more snippets of the demo, a few snippets posted were in low quality.[11] The demo version has more Missy Elliot verses and singing, it’s possibly a reference demo of the track.

On August 28, 2023, a demo of the song leaked. The album’s version of the track only has 20 seconds worth of Missy's vocals.

Audios[]

Live performances[]

Grande debuted "Borderline" live on August 20, 2018 at The Sweetener Sessions.

Trivia[]

  • On June 6, 2018, before the song was released and the collaboration was announced, Missy took to Twitter thanking Grande for having her be on the album and for writing the song.[3]
  • Missy tweeted on Twitter about Grande performing their song borderline in concert.[4]
  • Missy Elliott celebrated her collaboration with Ariana on August 27, 2018, on their song charting on the billboard chart hot 100.[5][6]
  • Missy congratulated Grande the day after the the album's release on August 18, 2018.[7][8]
  • Grande prefers "Borderline" over "Touch It", as stated as a reply on Twitter.
  • This is Grande's first collab with Missy Elliott.
  • In a Livestream prior to the release of Sweetener, Ariana revealed that “borderline” was originally Missy’s track.
  • Grande named a product from her make up line as "at the border line", a lyric from the track.
  • This song was recorded in the same sessions and day as "Rush Delivery".
  • The line "You know I'm the wifee type, bae" references her unreleased song from the same album, "Wifee".

Lyrics[]

[Chorus: Ariana Grande & Missy Elliott]
(Let's go!)
Baby, I just want you to be mine, hmm (Woo)
Won't you give me a bit of your time, oh, whoa
Chasin' you, no, I won't stop tryin'
Just meet me at the borderline (It's loose)

[Verse 1: Ariana Grande & Missy Elliott]
You play hard-to-get
But I know you want me, too (Woo)
Ain't out here lookin' for other dudes
So I'ma keep it tight for you, mmm

[Pre-Chorus: Ariana Grande & Missy Elliott]
You know I'm the wifey type, bae (Arrrrgh)
You know I'd be one of a kind, oh, whoa
Once you tastin' my ice cream (Ice cream)
I bet you won't ever leave (Won't leave)
I know it's hard to believe (Believe) (Believe)
Boy, you got me all on my knees
(Light it up, though, light it up, though)
Quit playin' too hard for me
(Light it up, though, light it up, though)
Stop playin' too hard for me

[Chorus: Ariana Grande & Missy Elliott]
(Let's go!)
Baby, I just want you to be mine, hmm (Woo)
Won't you give me a bit of your time, oh, woah
Chasin' you, no, I won't stop tryin'
Just meet me at the borderline (Wooooo)

[Verse 2: Ariana Grande & Missy Elliott]
Seems like I'm comin' on strong
But I don't want this time to pass (Woo)
I know you got a lot of chicks hollerin' at you
But I bet they cannot last, mmm (Arrgh)

[Pre-Chorus: Ariana Grande & Missy Elliott]
You know I'm the wifey type, babe
You know I'd be one of a kind, oh, whoa (Let's go!)
Once you tastin' my ice cream (Ice cream)
I bet you won't ever leave (Won't leave) (Woo)
I know it's hard to believe (Believe) (Woo)
Boy, you got me all on my knees
(Light it up, though, light it up, though)
Quit playin' too hard for me
(Light it up, though, light it up, though)
Stop playin' too hard for me

[Chorus: Ariana Grande & Missy Elliott]
Baby, I just want you to be mine, hmm (Woo)
Won't you give me a bit of your time, oh, woah (Ha)
Chasin' you, no, I won't stop tryin'
Just meet me at the borderline

[Bridge: Missy Elliott]
Uh, I'm like, you got me so on a chase
Got me feeling so out of place
Think bout you all of my days
Wish you'd chew on me like fresh grapes
Not tryna cuff you or crowd your space
I'm tryna find you words just to say
"Dang, you fine, and look at that face"
At the borderline, beside me, you lay

[Outro: Ariana Grande]
Baby, I just want you to be mine, hmm
Won't you give me a bit of your time, oh, woah
Chasin' you, no, I won't stop tryin'
Just meet me at the borderline

References[]

Sweetener
August 17, 2018 • 47:25 • Republic Records
Songs
Released Better OffBlazedBorderlineBreathinEverytimeGet Well SoonGod Is A WomanGoodnight N GoNo Tears Left To CryPete DavidsonRaindrops (An Angel Cried)R.E.M.SuccessfulSweetenerThe Light Is Coming
Unreleased 1st Unknown Sweetener Outtake100Bad To YouClarityCloudsCocoonDaydream On OccasionEnd Up With YouEver BeenGot Her OwnHate That You Made Me Love YouI Don't Wanna LieI Love MeKeep It CuteLeft On ReadMan Of SteelMoreMy WayNobodyOk NowOne In A MillionOn Top Of EverythingPretty Girls Like Trap MusicRush DeliverySexShnackSoberSouth AfricaStrong EnoughTreadmillWifeeYou
Artists
Ariana GrandeAli TamposiBiaBeyoncéChaka KhanDua LipaCamila CabelloCharlie PuthImogen HeapJennifer HudsonKelly RowlandLucky DayeMissy ElliottN.E.R.D.Nicki MinajNormaniPharrell WilliamsQuavoRita OraSkeptaStarrahSZAT-PainVictoria Monét
Tour
Sweetener World TourThe Sweetener Sessions
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