Grand Piano

Album: The Pinkprint (2014)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • This heartbreaking ballad finds Minaj utilizing her LaGuardia High School-trained vocals as she croons about a cold-hearted lover, who is playing with her affections like a grand piano.
  • Minaj was helped with the writing of the song by Kane Beatz, who previously co-penned her "Super Bass" hit tune and will.i.am, who featured on her Pink Friday cut "Check It Out."
  • The weeping violin solo at the end is borrowed from a Paula Abdul song. Nicki explained: "I asked the violinist to recreate Paula Abdul's 'Rush, Rush' at the end of 'Grand Piano.' That part always made me cry."

Comments: 1

  • Purrrri from ItalyI believe this song comes from a very deep heart break nicki might have experienced. She usually refers to herself as the “Queen”, however, in these lyrics she goes into self doubt and asks herself “Am i the queen of fools?”-“wrapped up in lies and foolish jewels”, which could mean she feels ‘foolish’ for letting all her guards down for this love, and the way this man showered her with money and the lavish lifestyle that only kept her blind to the lies. To add on to that, when she repeats “now the people are talking..”, she could be referring to how the truth is now surrounding her home, her friends, her family, her fans, the media- and she’s only being able to continue realizing that she played like a “grand piano”. She was played beautifully and elegantly by this man, in a way where her heart was broken with grace, so she would have never even noticed it happen.
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Chad Channing (Nirvana, Before Cars)

Chad Channing (Nirvana, Before Cars)Songwriter Interviews

Chad tells tales from his time as drummer for Nirvana, and talks about his group Before Cars.

Spot The Real Red Hot Chili Peppers Song Titles

Spot The Real Red Hot Chili Peppers Song TitlesMusic Quiz

The Red Hot Chili Peppers have some rather unusual song titles - see if you can spot the real ones.

Commercials

CommercialsFact or Fiction

Was "Ring Of Fire" really used to sell hemorrhoid cream?

Which Songs are About Drugs?

Which Songs are About Drugs?Fact or Fiction

"25 or 6 to 4" to "Semi-Charmed Life" - see if you can spot the songs that are really about drugs.

Janis Ian: Married in London, but not in New York

Janis Ian: Married in London, but not in New YorkSong Writing

Can you be married in one country but not another? Only if you're part of a gay couple. One of the first famous singers to come out as a lesbian, Janis wrote a song about it.

Sam Hollander

Sam HollanderSongwriter Interviews

The hitmaking songwriter/producer Sam Hollander with stories about songs for Weezer, Panic! At The Disco, Train, Pentatonix, and Fitz And The Tantrums.