What happens when you combine a popular Mexican snack and pop star discourse? You get a whole new phrase that’s taken over Stan Twitter.
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We may only be two months into the year, but we already have new music to stream, with many coming from our fave pop stars. One of the most anticipated releases was Lady Gaga’s single Abracadabra. Little Monsters everywhere gagged over how much it reminded them of her earlier works, specifically from the Fame Monster era. From the dark visuals, to the recession pop sound, everyone was living for this. Fans everywhere sang their usual praises, saying that she slayed, ate, mothered, and… reheated her nachos?
She really reheated her own nachos!! https://t.co/cOlcGPJNug
— Malibu Michael 💕🌴 (@mce1201) February 3, 2025
For the chronically online among us, you might have seen this phrase everywhere on Stan Twitter, usually talking about other pop stars and their music releases. So, are our faves actually grabbing a bowl and heading to the microwave? Nope. This new it-phrase is every chronically online stan’s way of saying that a pop star is revisiting a previous era (or even taking inspo from another artist). This silly new phrase has been living rent-free in the heads of netizens, as they’ve been using it to talk about their idols in different eras. The nachos phenomenon has just begun, so grab a bowl of chips, cause we’re gonna dive in (and take a bite).
WHO ORDERED THE FIRST BOWL?
2025 has shown us yet again that a big meme can come from seemingly random and unrelated sources. We’ve had hyperpigmentation (thanks to an old video that resurfaced this year), Toni Fowler’s spiel on eating at a fine dining restaurant, and the Sobrang Latina trend that began thanks to the icon that is Sesable just to name a few. And for nachos, its origin are no stranger.
The phrase comes from a clip from the reality show Baddies West, where cast member Natalie Nunn was staring at a bowl of nachos being eaten by her co-star Stunna Girl. We get her though, cause they do look good. This random video of a woman seemingly wanting to eat someone’s nachos served as the starting point for Stan Twitter to be totally unserious and turn the meaning on its head.
@baddiesfunny #BADDIESWEST || i mean i would want them too #fyp #blowthisup #stunnagirl #natalie #baddieseast ♬ original sound – baddiesfunny™
There’s a debate as to who used the phrase first on Twitter. But people claim that it’s user @K3YON3R, as they used the phrase when talking about another artist “reheating Doja Cat’s nachos”. This diva might actually be a visionary, because they used the phrase back in September 2024.
HOW ARE POP STARS REHEATING NACHOS?
@o011010oo0110o10o01100oo like waiiiit my paws are up
♬ Abracadabra – Lady Gaga
Like mentioned above, reheating nachos refers to artists referencing previous eras, or taking inspiration from others. We covered reheating one’s own nachos with Lady Gaga, but how do other artists reheat others? It’s no secret that pop stars take inspiration from their idols and peers, and stans definitely take notice. From Tate McRae giving Britney Spears, to Olivia Rodrigo being called the daughter of Taylor Swift, it’s inevitable to be compared. The idea of reheating nachos can be in reference to the sound of the music, an artist’s visuals, or general vibe.
The phrase can also be used in different ways, variations include “ordering nachos”, “stealing nachos”, some users even specify a whole order and the kitchen appliance used to denote each specific reference the artist makes. Local variants also see nachos being replaced by more local delicacies, so you can expect to see Filipino stans say that their fave needs to “reheat their pandesal” for example.
While the original version talks about reheating nachos, another variation sees fans say that their faves are making their own from scratch, basically saying that they’re serving us something new. Either way, the idea of referencing something definitely catches the attention of stans, and lets pop stars show their fans which artists inspires them (whether intentionally or not).
WHY DO WE CARE SO MUCH?
So, why exactly are we gagged when our fave takes out their air fryer to refry nachos? Some love a good reference, as they believe that it makes an artist a student of their craft, paying homage to their own faves. Stans also use the phrase in hopes that their idols revisit some of their signature sounds and visuals, a sign that some music lovers are looking for something familiar.
addison rae got the all you can eat special at the pop girl nachos buffet and her next course is a generous serving of madonna nachos…
— tommy (@tommyfication) January 24, 2025
There is also an opposite response to this, as some stans feel like artists reheating nachos is a sign that they lack creativity. Some wonder if current acts lack an identity of their own, citing that their reliance on and homage to past pop culture moments might be a sign that they have nothing new to offer to the musical landscape of today. Stans being able to say that their idols are contributing iconic releases to the pop landscape is a currency- and a valuable one at that.
It’s also important to note that just like any term coined by stans, “reheating nachos” should not be used as yet another tool to just insult and bring down (often female) pop stars. Reducing artists to their inspirations (or their past) can be limiting, not to mention insulting on the artist’s end to assume that all they do is copy or reference, or that they need to do so to stay relevant. Artists will release whatever they want. Whether they choose to reference or not is up to them, and fans also have the right to feel how they want about it. So, let’s have fun with the phrase, but remember to be kind in the process.
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