Ariana Grande celebrates first Grammy victory from 'lowkey' party at home

Ariana Grande is saying thank you (sans “next”) to the Recording Academy.

Following her headline-making spat with Grammys producer Ken Ehrlich over her absence from the 2019 ceremony, the 25-year-old pop star won her first Grammy Award.

“i know i’m not there tonight (trust, i tried and still truly wished it had worked out tbh) and i know i said i try not to put too much weight into these things …. but f—,” Grande wrote on Instagram Sunday night after her 2018 album Sweetener earned the Grammy for Best Pop Vocal album. “this is wild and beautiful. thank you so much.”

She also shared a photo of her younger self with a comically photoshopped image of a Grammy resting in her palm.

Though Grande — who notched five prior Grammy nods without scoring a victory — was prominently featured in the 2019 Grammys marketing, it was later revealed that she didn’t attend or perform at the event. In a subsequent interview, Ehrlich claimed Grande “felt it was too late for her to pull something together for sure,” though the “7 Rings” singer

Grande responded to Ehrlich’s statement on social media, tweeting: “I’ve kept my mouth shut but now you’re lying about me. I can pull together a performance over night and you know that, Ken…. It was when my creativity [and] self-expression was stifled by you, that I decided not to attend. I hope the show is exactly what you want it to be and more.”

After Bette Midler voiced her support for Grande’s retort, Grande invited the Hollywood icon over for a “lowkey” party at her home in lieu of attending the Grammys.

“hi and thank u,” Grande tweeted. “wanna come over sunday night?”

Amid the conflict, Grande also released her fifth studio album thank u, next to positive critical reviews (and record-breaking streaming numbers) Friday.

Related content:

• Grammy Awards 2019: See the full list of winners

• Ariana Grande hits back at Grammys producer, explains why she won’t be performing

• Ariana Grande drops new album, Thank U, Next as she reveals her fans and friends ‘saved her life’

• Ariana Grande’s ‘thank u, next’ director says another Legally Blondecameo almost happened