The forgotten music video for Ariana Grande‘s 2021 single “POV” leaked online May 18, but why was it scrapped in the first place?
Fans were sent into a frenzy when the ethereal canceled music video for Grande’s third single off her 2020 album, Positions, leaked in full on social media Thursday.
According to a Reddit thread, a group of fans allegedly pooled $3,000 to purchase a 4K leak of the “POV” music video, which was filmed days before the pop star’s wedding to Dalton Gomez in May 2021. It’s believed the video was directed by Stefan Kohli, who photographed Grande’s intimate wedding for Vogue.
The “POV” music video, which was never officially released, features Grande wandering a mystical forest and greenhouse. Less than 24 hours after the leak, the dreamy music video has been mostly scrubbed from the internet on the basis of copyright infringement, though clips can still be found on Twitter and TikTok.
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“POV” was a fan and critic favorite off Positions, which was released on October 30, 2020. The R&B ballad was moderately successful on the charts, too, peaking at No. 27 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and hitting No. 3 on pop radio.
While its official music video was never released, “POV” did receive a Vevo live performance music video in June 2021. The video was filmed as part of a live performance series for Grande’s album.
The “POV” music video is hardly the first time Grande has experienced an unauthorized leak. Several demos and scrapped songs from Positions, including a track called “Jada,” leaked online in early 2023.
In April, Grande addressed the leaks in a TikTok Q&A.
“You’ve stolen all of my unreleased music. It’s impossible to keep things from you,” she told fans.
Why Did Ariana Grande Scrap Her “POV” Music Video?
It’s unclear why, exactly, Ariana Grande’s “POV” music video was never released, especially considering the leak indicates the video was finished.
According to Capital FM, actor and writer George Todd, who allegedly worked on the “POV” music video, claimed in a a since-deleted TikTok that the “POV” music video was shot in Miami, Fla., and that he never learned why the project wasn’t released.
However, it’s possibly that Grande simply didn’t like the finished product, or was ready to shift her focus to her R.E.M. Beauty line, which she has been actively promoting over the past few years.
Grande is also currently filming the highly anticipated Wicked movie, in which she plays Galinda. Her casting was announced in November 2021.