Jennifer Lopez and Alex Rodriguez are two iconic New Yorkers with equally iconic duo-syllabic nicknames. (“J.Lo” and “A-Rod,” respectively.) They have been dating since March of 2017, and Lopez may be dropping some well-placed hints to imply that she’s ready to marry the former New York Yankee.
In Lopez’s new song “El Anillo,” which she premiered at the 2018 Billboard Latin Music Awards, she sings, “Nunca habia sentido algo tan grande/Y me vuelve loca tu lado salvaje/Tu me has dado tanto que he estado pensando/Ya lo tengo todo, pero/¿Y el anillo pa’ cuando?”
According to People, these lyrics translate into English as: “I have never felt anything this grand/And your wild side drives me crazy/You’ve given me so much that I’ve been thinking/I already have it all, but/When will I get the ring?”
By reading between the lines of these oh-so-subtle words, it seems to imply that Lopez is now ready — and, in fact, has been ready — for Rodriguez to propose.
Jennifer Lopez and Alex Rodriguez may be heading towards an engagement. Rachel Murray/Getty Images for Guess, Inc.
It is worth noting, of course, that a musician can express certain thoughts and emotions in a song that may not totally align with what they think and do IRL. It’s called artistic license. For example, Kesha famously sang about brushing her teeth with a “bottle of Jack” in the song “Tik Tok,” but it is unlikely — though not impossible — that she has ever done such a thing.
But let’s say that, in this case, Lopez’s lyrics do represent her current thoughts on marrying Rodriguez. If so, Dr. Jane Greer, a New York-based marriage and sℯx therapist and author of “What About Me? Stop Selfishness From Ruining Your Relationship,” says it’s actually a smart way to go about starting an engagement discussion.
“I think it’s a terrific and clever way to express her feelings through her craft,” Greer told INSIDER. “She is letting him know where her mindset is without being confrontational or putting him on the spot with a direct question.”
In fact, Greer says that this is something that pretty much anyone can do, even if you don’t have a televised awards show to serve as your platform. As long as you do so with the knowledge that you may not receive the answer you want.
“There’s a possibility it could in fact prolong your partner’s proposal,” Greer told INSIDER. “So there’s a risk involved. If there’s any uncertainty on their part that you’ll say yes, it reassures them; however, if they’re not in the same place it can make them feel pressured — or even controlled.”
If you do choose to go the J.Lo route, the best way to do so, according to Greer, is by responding in the moment to things they say to you.
“For example, if they say they love you (not for the first time), you can say something romantic like, ‘I could go the distance with you,’ or ‘I could see us making a life together,’” Greer said. “You don’t have to directly say you want to get that ring tomorrow. It makes sense that you want to know if [your partner is] ready to get married, but of course you don’t want to pressure him into something [they aren’t] ready for.”
In any case, no matter what Lopez sings, it is unlikely that an engagement will happen anytime soon. In an interview on Beats1 about “El Anillo,” Lopez said that she “likes to let things take their natural course” and is hesitant to rush into anything.
“I’ve done that before,” she said. “I’m a little bit more grown up now.”
All the same, if Lopez and Rodriguez eventually do announce an engagement, we may have the (potential) hit single “El Anillo” to thank for laying its foundation.
