The four-year drought has officially ended as pop music icon Ariana Grande just dropped her seventh studio album, Eternal Sunshine. Though she hasn't put out music since Positions, Grande's personal life has been at the forefront of pop culture under some less than ideal circumstances.
Ariana’s reputation has been through the ringer ever since she first entered the game. The 30-year-old star seems to be constantly under scrutiny and involved in some type of scandal - which makes her SNL monologue from 2016 really funny in hindsight. That being said, Grande is no stranger to being hated by the public. Going into this album release, she's facing her biggest scandal yet. It’s clear that Ariana is embracing the villain allegations and doing it perfectly by turning a tarnished reputation into an incredible body of work. Eternal Sunshine combines the sultry R&B elements of Positions, the honest lyricism of Thank U, Next, and the healing energy of Sweetener to create her most raw project yet.
Grande opens the album with a glaring question: "How do I know if I'm in the right relationship?” Ms. Grande is going through it! That we knew, but this album makes it clear that Ariana is not easy on herself and judges her actions just like the rest of the world does. She doesn't try to deny, mitigate, or make us feel sorry for her - this album is Ari speaking her truth unapologetically. Upon first listen, the melodic intro to this album captured me from the first moments. Grande has never missed with her album intros - My Everything has my personal favorite, followed closely by “Raindrops” from Sweetener and the iconic bop that is “Honeymoon Avenue” off Yours Truly.
Upon a initial listen, the standout tracks for me from this album are as follows, in no particular order:
Eternal sunshine - the fade into this track from Saturn Returns Interlude had me in tears. Obsessed with this chorus, it’s so catchy and beautiful.
Supernatural - THIS LOVES POSSESSING ME BUT I DON’T MIND AT ALL! IT’S TAKING OVER ME DON’T WANNA FIGHT THE FALL!!!!
True Story - this pre-chorus is absolutely goated. The sound is a little darker than the rest of the album and I think it really suits her voice.
The Boy is Mine - ARE WE KIDDING????? This is going to be my spring break anthem. Added to the getting ready playlist immediately.
I wish I hated you - the voice crack on the last chorus... oh dear. I want to give this woman a hug.
Imperfect for you - wow wow wow... pop perfection dare I say. The production on this track is top-tier and the vulnerable lyrics make this a standout for me.
We Can’t Be Friends - Dancing on My Own by Robyn 2.0! The music video is what really made me fall in love with this song. Not only do I LOVE Evan Peters, but the callbacks to the ESOTSM film were so beautifully done. Ariana’s acting abilities shined here.
Listening to this album cohesively also gave me a newfound appreciation for the leading single, “yes, and?” Although I was obsessed at first listen, the track hasn’t been in heavy rotation for me as of late. However - after hearing the track directly after another pop anthem, “the boy is mine,” I felt like I was hearing the song for the first time. These two songs are the most danceable songs on the album, and I can already picture blasting these before going out.
I would go as far to say this is Ariana’s most cohesive album yet. She clearly had a very specific vision for what this project was going to be, and she executes it nearly flawlessly. It’s evident that Ariana herself was the main songwriter and producer on this album, given that it truly feels like the audience is invited into the most vulnerable parts of her life. It’s incredible and inspiring to see how far Ariana has come since her debut, taking the criticism and feedback she is faced with into account. Grande is not only the queen of pop right now, but she has blossomed into a creative genius and a true, genuine artist who’s voice in the music industry could never be mitigated. Eternal Sunshine is a smashing success in my book.
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