7 Years Later: What REALLY Happened Behind Troye Sivan & Ariana Grande’s “Dance To This” Collab

Seven years ago, the pop world braced itself for an undeniable banger. A track that had everything—a soaring name, a cult fanbase, and a co-sign from one of the most recognizable voices in the world. When Troye Sivan announced his collaboration with Ariana Grande titled “Dance To This,” fans expected a smash. Not just a hit—a movement.

But what actually happened was far more bizarre.

Today, seven years later, the internet is still buzzing with theories, regret, and resurfaced TikToks about this mysterious, low-energy track that quietly entered and exited the charts with barely a pop. Despite the digital silence from both artists since its release, the curiosity surrounding “Dance To This” has only intensified.

What went wrong? What was hidden behind the scenes? Why does a song with two mega names barely get acknowledged anymore?

This isn’t just a story about music. It’s a story about missed moments, digital amnesia, industry politics, and the terrifying power of algorithms that decide what we remember—and what we don’t.

The Drop That Made No Noise

Let’s rewind to June 13, 2018. Troye Sivan tweets, “Yes, it’s true. The rumors are true. My new single, ‘Dance To This,’ featuring Ariana Grande, drops this week. 🖤🕺🏻💃🏼”

Cue the chaos.

Fan accounts explode. YouTube reactors pre-schedule their videos. Pop culture blogs forecast a “genre-defining moment.” Radio DJs start teasing it as the “Soundtrack of Summer 2018.”

But when the song finally drops… the internet blinks.

The usual markers of a pop eruption—reaction videos going viral, dance challenges, streaming crashes—don’t happen. Instead, there’s a trickle of appreciation. A whisper. A confused murmur of “Wait… that’s it?”

Minimalist or Mismarketed?

“Dance To This” is a slow burn. The beat is understated. The chorus glides rather than drops. Ariana’s vocals don’t belt—they float. Troye leans into softness, letting atmosphere and suggestion take the lead.

For some listeners, it was artistic restraint. For others, it was a sonic underwhelm.

In a 2018 music culture obsessed with high-energy hooks, trap drums, and memeable lines, “Dance To This” felt like the opposite of viral.

Even fans were split.

“It’s beautiful in its own way, but I was expecting something that SLAPS,” one user commented on Reddit.

“This sounds like it was made for a luxury fragrance ad, not a pop chart,” another posted.

The Music Video: Bold or Bland?

If the track was confusing, the music video only deepened the divide.

Released on July 19, 2018, the official video features Troye and Ariana dancing—slowly—in a fluorescent-lit community center in front of bored old people. There’s no storyline. No glamorous outfits. No clear message. Just… vibes.

While some praised it as post-ironic brilliance, others weren’t so generous.

“Why are they dancing in a cafeteria like it’s an open mic night in hell?”

“Is this a metaphor I’m too dumb to get?”

“This deserved a ‘Thank U, Next’ level of treatment, and instead we got ‘Waiting Room: The Musical.’”

On YouTube, the like-to-comment ratio stayed strong, but engagement was noticeably less passionate compared to Grande’s other releases at the time.

Chart Performance: The Data Nobody Brings Up

Let’s talk cold, hard numbers:

Billboard Hot 100 Peak: #92

Spotify Streams (by mid-2019): ~150 million

YouTube Views (2020 estimate): ~35 million

Radio Spins: Low to moderate in niche markets; barely cracked mainstream rotations.

For a pop collaboration of this level, those numbers aren’t catastrophic—but they’re unquestionably underwhelming.

Compare that to Ariana’s other 2018 single, “No Tears Left to Cry,” which hit #3 and racked up over 1 billion streams. The difference is not just night and day—it’s alternate universes.

Where Did It All Go Wrong?

Over the years, fans and insiders have pointed fingers in multiple directions. While nothing has been officially confirmed, here are the most viral and believable theories:

Timing Was a Disaster

The track dropped during the height of Ariana’s Sweetener rollout. With “No Tears Left To Cry” dominating airwaves and the impending God Is a Woman storm, “Dance To This” became overshadowed even before it got started.

Label Priorities Didn’t Align

Some fans suggest Troye’s label wasn’t willing to spend big on promotion, assuming Ariana’s name alone would carry it. Others claim Ariana’s team didn’t push it at all, seeing it as “Troye’s single, not hers.”

This push-pull likely left the track promotionally orphaned.

The Wrong Audience

Troye’s core fanbase leaned artsy, alternative, and low-key. Ariana’s audience in 2018? Hyper-mainstream, dance-pop-loving. “Dance To This” fit neither fully—and confused both.

Algorithmic Failure

In the post-2017 digital landscape, streaming platforms reward songs that grab attention in under 15 seconds. “Dance To This” takes nearly 40 seconds to settle into its groove—algorithmic death.

The Artists’ Eerie Silence

Perhaps most telling of all is that neither Troye nor Ariana has publicly revisited the song in seven years.

It doesn’t show up in setlists.

It hasn’t been mentioned in anniversary tweets.

No interviews. No nostalgic throwbacks. Nothing.

That’s rare—especially for artists who often celebrate even their lukewarm hits on social media.

Some fans theorize that it’s a mutual “let’s pretend this didn’t happen” pact between both camps.

The Resurgence Nobody Predicted

Cut to early 2025.

A TikTok sound featuring a slowed-down version of “Dance To This” over VHS-style edits of sunsets, bedroom dancing, and summer nostalgia starts trending.

“POV: it’s 2018, you’re 17, and the world hasn’t broken you yet.”

Within days, the track climbs back onto Spotify Viral 50 in multiple countries. Fan accounts explode. Gen Zers—many of whom were too young to care in 2018—now call it “underrated,” “dreamy,” and “aesthetic as hell.”

It’s official: “Dance To This” is having a second life.

Legacy: Misfire or Masterpiece?

So where does the song stand today?

It may never have been the global pop moment fans wanted in 2018. But its slow-burning legacy, ongoing mystery, and newfound nostalgia have made it arguably more interesting than some of the formulaic hits that did top the charts that year.

In a culture obsessed with immediacy, maybe “Dance To This” was ahead of its time—built for the rewatch, not the premiere.

Final Thoughts: Pop Culture’s Beautiful Mess

“Dance To This” is the kind of pop artifact that reminds us:

Virality isn’t everything.

Artistry and algorithm don’t always sync.

And sometimes, the songs that flop the loudest become the ones we can’t forget.

Seven years later, we’re still dancing to it—maybe just a little slower, a little sadder, and a lot more nostalgic.