Is Ariana Grande's 'bad things (bunny hop)' about boyfriend Ricky Álvarez? Lyrics and meaning explained

31 July 2026, 11:51 | Updated: 31 July 2026, 13:14

Who is Ariana Grande singing about in her song 'bad things (bunny hop)'? Here are the lyrics and meaning of Ariana's 'Petal' track explained.

Ariana Grande is well and truly back with her eighth studio album Petal, and while she's said that this album is "experimental" and "different" to the music she usually makes, she's still pulling inspiration from her real life for the lyrics.

Speaking in an a interview with Apple Music, Ariana said about album: "It pulls from many different parts of myself." With that in mind, who is the "fine" man she's singing about in the track 'bad thing (bunny hop)'? Here's what we know about Ariana's flirtatious lyrics.

• Read more: What are Ariana Grande’s Petal lyrics about? The emotional meaning explained

Ariana Grande explains the inspirations behind new album ‘petal’

Who are Ariana Grande's 'bad things (bunny hop)' lyrics about and what does bunny hop mean?

While a lot of Ariana's album Petal comes from a place of "unfiltered rage", songs like 'bad things (bunny hop)' and 'freak' are more about romance and lust.

After hearing the lyrics to 'bad things (bunny hop)' fans instantly began to speculate that she penned it about her boyfriend Ricky Álvarez who she recently started dating again.

This is because she sings, Fell in love, let's do it twice, which seems to link to how she and Ricky dated back in 2015 before rekindling their romance in 2026.

The term 'bunny hop' is also a derogatory slang term for a woman who 'hops' from one man to the next. This is a theme that Ariana has explored a lot in her music in the past. In particular she's focused on the public's opinion her moving on from one relationship to the next. This might be why she is referring to this rekindled romance as a 'bad thing'. In 'yes, and?' she sings, Why do you care so much whose - I ride?

Some fans have also theorised that 'bunny hop' is used in the song title to reference Ariana's Dangerous Woman era, as she famously wore bunny ears on that album cover and photo promo, and she was dating Ricky at the time.

Ariana herself has never specifically said who 'bad things (bunny hop)' was written about, but timeline wise the lyrics of the song also hint to Ricky as she sings, You've really been such a good boy through all of this noise.

Ariana has said she wrote this album about "some of the harder moments I think that I felt in the last year". That means it would have been during the time she and Ricky started dating again.

Ariana Grande - 'bad things (bunny hop)' lyrics

INTRO

(That's okay)

VERSE 1

I can see it in your eyes
I see the way your whole vibe shifts
So tell me why this feeling
Should be something to resist?
I can learn your body language
'Cause it never used to be like this
I'll be your student, fluent
Won't you teach me? I insist

PRE-CHORUS

Feeling like a teenager, I guess I really needed ya
It's silly, but I wonder if you feel how I feel (Ooh, woah)

CHORUS

Have you been this fine the whole damn time?
This is a bad thing (This is a bad thing)
This is a bad, bad thing
Oh, baby, you're a real nightmare
And it's super unfair how much
This is a bad thing (This is a bad thing)
This is a bad, bad thing

VERSE 2

Yeah, I like your butterflies
Thе kind you've been making with your hands
Yeah, I can see them finally
Can't bеlieve they've been right there
You know you make a real good boyfriend
In my dreams, and in real life
Meet you by the staircase where we
Fell in love, let's do it twice

PRE-CHORUS

Feeling like a teenager, I guess I really needed ya (Ah)
It's silly, but I wonder if you feel how I feel (Ooh, woah)

CHORUS

Have you been this fine the whole damn time?
This is a bad thing (This is a bad thing)
This is a bad, bad thing
Oh, baby, you're a real nightmare
And it's super unfair how much
This is a bad thing (This is a bad thing)
This is a bad, bad thing

BRIDGE

Been circling and spiraling, the same sh**
All of this time I've been wastin'
You've really been such a good boy through all of this noise
The frequency's changing
Can you feel it in my body now?
Well, can you hear it in these sounds?
'Cause it's too late to turn back now (Ooh)

CHORUS

Have you been this fine the whole damn time?
This is a bad thing (This is a bad thing)
This is a bad, bad thing
Oh, baby, you're a real nightmare
And it's super unfair how much
This is a bad thing (This is a bad thing)
This is a bad, bad thing

Read more Ariana Grande news here:

• Ariana Grande's powerful 'like i do' lyrics and double meaning explained
• Ariana Grande Tour Setlist: Every surprise song on the Eternal Sunshine Tour so far
• Ariana Grande enforces strict bag policy rules for Eternal Sunshine Tour shows in the UK
• Ariana Grande hints she's dating Ricky Alvarez again with 'Thank U, Next' lyric change
• Ariana Grande drops out of American Horror Story season 13
• Ariana Grande makes major change to 'Thank U, Next' lyrics on Eternal Sunshine Tour

Listen live to Capital, and catch up on any shows you missed, on Global Player.