“I’d rather be dry, but at least I’m alive… rain on me,” Lady Gaga and Ariana Grande belt out throughout their highly-anticipated new song, Rain On Me. It’s easy to forget that, behind the feel-good energetic beats and thrilling power vocals, this is a song about taking on the deluge of pain that comes with heartbreak – and finding a way to feel empowered by it. 

In the music video, which was released on Friday 22 May, we see Gaga and Grande continue to euphorically dance while knives of pain continue to rain on them. In the closing shots, the pair embrace each other, proving that this empowerment so often comes in the form of friendship. 

Both singers have talked about how their new friendship helped get them through dark times. 

“One time… I met a woman who knew pain the same way I did,” Grande tweeted. “Who cried as much as I did, drank as much wine as I did, ate as much pasta as I did and who’s heart was bigger than her whole body. She immediately felt like a sister to me.

“She then held my hand and invited me into the beautiful world of Chromatica and together, we got to express how beautiful and healing it feels to mothafuckinnnn cry ! I hope this makes [you] all feel as uplifted as it does for us both. I love [you] @ladygaga, [you] stunning superwoman!”

Gaga also wrote: “Thank you for reminding me I’m strong, I’m super emotional and love you so very much, I cherish you @ArianaGrande and little monsters. Without you I don’t know how I would survive. I’d rather be dry, but at least I’m alive.

“One time I felt like I was crying so much it would never stop. Instead of fighting it, I thought ‘bring it on, I can do hard things’. @arianagrande I love you for your strength and friendship. Let’s show them what we’ve got.”

She added: “If we’re gonna cry we’re gonna cry together, but we’re gonna dance while we do it. #RainOnMe #LittleMonsters ⁦@ArianaGrande. Let it pour with rain drops I’m crying on my porch that I use to not be able to leave, I was stuck. Now I dance on it and sing about how I got through it.”

Watch Lady Gaga and Ariana Grande’s Rain On Me music video

Anyone who has ever found a new friendship while healing through a dark time – that’s most of us, right? – will understand the strength and euphoria it can bring. And those who know the power of dancing in the darkness – again, all of us? – will watch the music video at least ten times today. 

We can’t wait for Gaga to release Chromatica on Friday 29 May.

Image: YouTube