# God Is a Woman Songwriter Reveals Beyoncé and JAY-Z Plans

> Songwriter Ilya Salmanzadeh says 'God Is a Woman' was intended for Beyoncé and JAY-Z before Ariana Grande claimed it for Sweetener.
- Title: God Is a Woman Songwriter Reveals Beyoncé and JAY-Z Plans
- Summary: Songwriter Ilya Salmanzadeh says 'God Is a Woman' was intended for Beyoncé and JAY-Z before Ariana Grande claimed it for Sweetener. Ariana Grande's 'God Is a…
- Keywords: ilya salmanzadeh, ariana grande, beyonce, jay-z, sweetener, god is a woman, billboard hot 100, four times platinum, culture, music, God, Woman
- Source: Complex — https://complex.com/music/a/alex-gonzalez/god-is-a-woman-ariana-grande-beyonce-jay-z
- Published: 2026-10-18T18:22:59.227+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: ilya salmanzadeh, ariana grande, beyonce, jay-z, sweetener, god is a woman, billboard hot 100, four times platinum, culture, music
## Songwriter Reveals Intended Artists
Ilya Salmanzadeh says 'God Is a Woman' was initially considered for Beyoncé and JAY-Z before Ariana Grande claimed it for Sweetener.

> It didn’t happen
## Ariana Rewrote Song in One Day
Ariana Grande rejected plans for a rap feature and wrote all verses, pre-chorus, and layered harmonies in one day.

> She was like, 'No, we're writing this for me.'
## Song Peaked at No. 8
The song peaked at No. 8 on the Billboard Hot 100 and became four-times platinum.

> peaked at no. 8 on the billboard hot 100
## Another Beyoncé Demo on Sweetener
Another Sweetener track, 'R.E.M.', evolved from a Beyoncé demo that was previously shopped to her.

> R.E.M.
## Key takeaway

Ariana Grande's 'God Is a Woman' was almost given to Beyoncé and JAY-Z but she rewrote it in one day.