Released: 2018
Features: Ariana Grande
“Dance To This” by Troye Sivan featuring Ariana Grande is an intimate love duet that exudes a sense of reserved euphoria, of just wanting to stay in together despite the noise of the city outside. It’s a minimalistic pop piece that treads the line between intimacy and playfulness, celebrating the joyous moments of simply dancing together, away from the complications and temptations of the party scene.
The song begins with Sivan expressing youthful ambition and a desire to take things slow, yet acknowledging that they never do. It’s a nod towards young love’s adrenaline rush, where the pace of passion outruns the mind’s admonitions to slow down. There’s an undertone of premonition too; foreseeing every night spent together, a subtle reference to the depth of their connection.
When he sings, “You under the kitchen lights / You still look like dynamite”, there’s an understated explosion of subdued passion in those lines. In the confined space of a kitchen, illuminated by nothing but its lights, the mundane is transformed into the extraordinary. The reference to “dynamite” is a pop culture cipher for someone exuding attractiveness, acting as a metaphor that expresses the luminous appeal of the lover.
The repeated refrain “We can just dance to this”, becomes a captivating mantra in the song, a shared simplicity between them. Whether it’s the kitchen or just having the radio on, they don’t need the extravagant settings of a club or a party to enjoy themselves. There’s intimacy in just being in their own space—literally and figuratively ‘dancing to their own beat’.
The verse “Dear beloved / Bring those 501s a bit closer” is a classic pop culture reference. Here, 501 refers to the ever-popular Levi’s 501 jeans, and is an invitation to close the physical space between them. The next line “Do that thing we never do sober” hints at the little acts of intimacy and playfulness shared between the two that typically surface in moments of inhibition release.
The repeated, “I don’t wanna sleep tonight-night-night-night-night/I just wanna take that ride”, which is sung in energetic unison by Sivan and Grande, alludes to the adrenaline rush that comes with their connection. It expresses a shared desire to continue their escapade of love, taking ‘that ride’ into the thrill of the night together rather than sleeping it away.
“Dance to This” is thus, a clandestine pop anthem, entwining simplicity and romance into a subtle ballad that celebrates shared moments of intimacy. Complete with pop culture references and youthful enthusiasm, it symbolizes a love that values the beauty of ordinary moments, crafting them into a dance of their own.
