Is Ariana Grande’s Starbucks Collab A Mac Miller Tribute?

Starbucks and Ariana Grande just collaborated on a foamy new drink that feels like a low key tribute to the great Mac Miller.

The Cloud Caramel Macchiato is similar to the regular caramel drink, except it is topped with a frothy layer of whipped cold foam.

While neither Grande nor Starbucks have positioned the drink as any type of tribute, it wouldn’t be surprising to learn that it was her little personal way of honoring someone who was a major part of her life.

Before you dismiss this article as click bait, take a look at how Ariana has referenced Miller since his passing. She tends to put him in an angelic light, looking up to the heavens, almost as if to say she knows he’s looking down from above.

It is no coincidence that when she sings, “Wish I could say thank you to Malcolm, because he was an angel,” in her “thank u, next” video, she peers upward.

She did the same thing almost immediately after his death, showing off the cloud tattoo on her finger, looking to the sky, and as is the case with a lot of her photos, holding a Starbucks cup.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Ariana Grande (@arianagrande) on

While this next piece of evidence might be a stretch, for a creative who frequents Starbucks as much as Grande, don’t think this couldn’t have been something that crossed her mind.

Grande has surely had her fair share of Macchiatos, and is probably very aware that the Starbucks abbreviation for the drink is “Mac.” Which means if you order a Grande Iced Caramel Cloud Macchiato, not only is part of her name involved in the order, but so is Mac Miller’s.

This observation was brought to my attention as I Snapchatted a photo of my Starbucks drink, with a friend responding with, “Do you think it says ‘Cloud Mac’ because Mac Miller is in heaven?”

Is it a stretch? Perhaps, but would it surprise you?

 

More content

CultureProducts
Pressed Juicery Honors Black History Month With Limited Edition Artist Series
Pressed Juicery is honoring the creativity of Black culture for Black History Month. The cold-pressed juice and snacks brand commissioned three Black artists to transform its…
,
CultureEating Out
Netflix Just Opened A Restaurant In Las Vegas—Here’s What to Expect
Netflix is inviting your taste buds into its world of hit shows. Now open at MGM Grand Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, NETFLIX BITES…
,
CultureEating Out
Chili’s Makes It Own Lifetime Holiday Movie For National Margarita Day
Some might question whether days like National Margarita Day—coming up on Saturday, February 22—are real holidays. But Chili’s Grill & Bar is out to prove…
,
Burger
We Deliver!

Enter your email address below and we'll deliver our top stories straight to your inbox