WTF is “Reheating Nachos”?
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The internet has birthed some of the wildest trends, phrases, and sub-cultures imaginable. Among them is the infamous community of “Stan Twitter.” In a deep corner of the internet, there are groups of people dedicated to posting their opinions and keeping track of, reviewing, and discussing their favorite music artists, celebrities, TV shows, and movies. These hardcore fans, otherwise known as “stans,” have not only created a new forum for discourse on artists – they’ve created an entirely new language to go with it. The words “oomf,” “fancam,” and “moot” may sound like gibberish to some, but there is a dictionary’s worth of words and phrases created by stans. You can’t miss a day on Twitter (X) without circulating a new made-up phrase, and the latest chosen phrase is “reheating nachos.”
Image Courtesy: @evilmackenzie via X
Surprisingly, the phrase “reheating nachos” has nothing to do with actual food or microwaves. According to Merriam-Webster's definition, “reheating nachos” refers to “producing creative work—such as a song, album, acting performance, etc.—that is similar to, but (usually) not as good as, one that came before.”
The term can describe an older artist using nostalgia to revisit the essence of their previous work to generate similar success or another artist taking inspiration from those who came before them. To further prove just how absurd the linguistic origins of stan culture can be, the phrase originated from a clip of the reality show Baddies West, where Natalie Nunn and Stunna Girl are talking while Stunna Girl eats nachos. Someone tweeted the clip and captioned it “you can tell natalie lowkey wanted stunna girls nachos,” thus, the metaphorical nachos were born.
But these phrases aren’t just “fangirl talk” they can deepen music discourse and offer genuine music critiques today. “Reheating nachos” raises important questions: Are we losing musical originality? Have we recycled every sound possible? And what role does nostalgia play in achieving musical success?
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The phrase has been widely used in discussions about rising pop star Tate McRae. A tweet from @evilmackenzie, posted in January 2025, gained 72,000 likes and 4,100 retweets, reading: “Tate McRae keeps on trying to reheat Nelly furtado’s nachos but the microwave keeps on breaking does that make sense.” Another one from @asherw01fe, with 20,000 likes, adds, “Tate McRae is reheating Britney Spears nachos, but Addison Rae is remaking Britney nachos.”
The “greedy” singer has often received criticism for recycling sounds – particularly the Timbaland-style sounds from the 2000s, popularized by Nelly Furtado and Britney Spears. McRae was even interviewed by Spears herself for GenV Magazine. She says Spears has always been a massive inspiration to her, and the comparisons are both “flattering and scary.” As a popstar cementing her sound in the industry, is Tate McRae offering a modern take on nostalgic sounds? Or is she merely failing at replicating the success of other artists?
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On a more positive note, “reheating nachos” has also been used to praise Lady Gaga’s most recent album, MAYHEM. A tweet made by @AbiChittin that garnered more than 50,000 likes reads, “Lady Gaga air fried her own nachos and they came out so fucking good.” Twitter user @rosedommu also praised Gaga’s newest work in a tweet that says, “Gaga didn’t just reheat her nachos she invented time travel so she could get them fresh from the oven.” The “Judas” singer even responded to these tweets, telling EW, “My nachos are mine, I invented them, and I’m proud of them.”
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The single “Abracadabra” especially made noise within the fandom. The Gaga-esque track and accompanying music video transported fans back to the era that first put her on the map. By taking inspiration from her iconic Born This Way and ARTPOP sound and reworking it into her new music, the pop star has created some of the best songs of her career.
Stans are often scrutinized for being “obsessive” or “overly opinionated,” but the truth is that they have pioneered social media into a place where music can be critiqued and reviewed by those who enjoy it most. “Reheating nachos” might have begun as a niche internet phrase, but it’s clear that it has evolved into so much more.
Strike Out,
Writer: Isabella Santiago
Editor: Grace Groover
Graphic Designer: Cole Martucci
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