Breathin

"Breathin" arrived as the third single from Ariana Grande's fourth studio album Sweetener, hitting US radio on September 18, 2018 via Republic Records. The track was born from a writing session with Savan Kotecha, Ilya Salmanzadeh, and Peter Svensson, with production handled by Ilya and Svensson. Musically, it's a dance-pop and electro-R&B number that layers an upbeat, synth-heavy groove over disco and electronic flourishes. But the real hook is the contrast: the bright, driving production sits atop lyrics that lay bare Grande's struggle with anxiety and panic attacks, directly inspired by the post-traumatic stress she carried after the Manchester Arena bombing in 2017.

The song resonated hard. On the Billboard Hot 100, it climbed to number 12, making it the highest-charting non-lead single from Sweetener. It went top ten in the UK, Australia, Canada, Ireland, and New Zealand. By early 2025, the RIAA had certified it 3x Platinum in the US, with 2x Platinum nods from the BPI and Music Canada, plus Platinum in Australia and New Zealand.

Critics singled out "Breathin" as a highlight of the album, praising its empathetic, motivational take on mental health. It earned a Grammy nomination for Best Pop Solo Performance at the 62nd Annual Awards and won Top Selling Single at the 2019 BMI Pop Awards. The official music video, directed by Hannah Lux Davis and released November 7, 2018, has racked up over 150 million views on YouTube. It cuts between a dark, claustrophobic room and a bright open field, mirroring the song's journey from panic to release.

Beyond the charts, "Breathin" became an anthem for anxiety awareness. It blew up on TikTok in videos about breathing exercises and mental health. Kelly Clarkson covered it on her talk show, and the cast of Glee took a swing at it too. For many fans, it's the track that made them feel seen, a pop song that doesn't just name the struggle but offers a way through it.[edit]