GRANDE PLAN

Ariana Grande Sparks AG8 Buzz With Studio Snap Alongside Hitmaker Max Martin

Ariana’s studio selfie with pop titan Max Martin and collaborator Ilya Salmanzadeh has fans convinced AG8 is real — a tantalising hint she may be racing back to the charts.
GOSSIP
PUBLISHED 20 Mar 2026 09:30 GMT UPDATED 20 Mar 2026 09:30 GMT

Key Points

ARIANA Grande has fans buzzing about a possible return to music after sharing new selfies that were reportedly taken inside producer Max Martin’s studio.

The pop superstar has worked with Martin on major hits including “Bang Bang” and “Yes, And?,” and the latest post is being seen as a strong hint that new music could be on the way.

Songwriter Ilya Salmanzadeh, who also collaborated on Grande’s “Thank U, Next,” was part of the studio session as well, according to The Sun.

Fans are especially focused on the timing of the post: Grande shared the photos on March 18 at 8am in Los Angeles, fuelling speculation that she may be teasing her eighth album, widely nicknamed “AG8” by fans.

Recent social media clues, including repeated references to the number eight, have only added to the excitement.

Grande has a packed schedule ahead, with her “Eternal Sunshine” tour launching in June and continuing through September.

She is also set to promote her upcoming film “Focker-In-Law” and continues to expand her acting career after the huge success of the “Wicked” films.

Even so, Grande has a history of moving quickly in the studio, and fans know she can surprise them.

While she previously suggested making a new album this year would be difficult, these latest images suggest she may still have music on her mind.

With a long list of chart hits and a devoted global fanbase, any sign of new Ariana Grande music is enough to send pop fans into full detective mode.

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