Ariana Grande is apologizing for an apparent mixup, but some sense serious shade in her wording.
The Grammy winner reacted Monday after horror icon Elvira shared at a Knott’s Berry Farm event over the weekend that she once gave Grande and her family 21 tickets to attend one of her performances, but the singer turned her down for a photo.
Elvira, born Cassandra Peterson, shared footage from the Halloween-themed event in which she hinted that one of her worst celebrity encounters “rhymes with Pariana Mande.” She also reposted screenshots from a Parade article that identified Grande by name.
“I’m so disheartened to see this,” the singer commented on the post Monday.
“I actually don’t even remember getting the chance to meet you because i had an anxiety attack and to my memory, left before the rest of my family (this was around 7 years ago and at the time i was really not great with being in public crowds or loud places),” Grande explained.
“But if i’m misremembering this moment, i sincerely apologize for offending you so,” she continued. “Thank you for being so nice to my mom, she told me how lovely you were (she might have different feelings about that now but i’ll talk to her…clearly, we all have our days!).”
Grande finished by “sending love always” and claiming that Elvira will “always be our queen of halloween,” but some social media users sensed genuine shade in the remark about her mother.
“I don’t understand the ‘she told me how lovely you were…’ to the then extra ‘she might have different feelings about that now’ should have been kept that out, it feels like a jab, like just apologize ain’t no need for all that,” wrote one user on X, formerly Twitter.
Another exclaimed simply: “The passive aggressive comment about her mom?????!!!”
Left: Taylor Hill/FilmMagic/Getty Images; Right: Katy Winn/Invision/Associated Press
Elvira explained over the weekend that Grande herself asked if her relatives could take photos with the horror hostess, who said she obliged and even threw some autographs in. When she asked Grande for a picture, however, the singer allegedly said: “No, I don’t really do that.”
“I mean, come on,” Elvira added to audible boos. “Then she left before my show started.”
Grande has long disclosed her struggle with anxiety and has frequently praised therapy for saving her life. While many social media users deem her Instagram apology lacking, loyal fans believe the 31-year-old didn’t intend to come off rudely — resulting in lively debate.