Ariana Grande - eternal sunshine
Ariana Grande - Eternal Sunshine
It’s hard to talk about the new Ariana Grande album without comparing it unfavourably to thank u, next. The popstar closed off the 2010s as the undisputed queen of pop (Taylor was having a bad couple of years), reaching peaks of both critical and commercial success simultaneously. All culminating in one of the defining pop masterpieces of the era.
Then the pandemic. Then Positions (not a bad record). Her momentum slowed. It should be mentioned that we're measuring on a superstar scale here, obviously Ariana Grande was still massively successful and continues to be so. But she had to settle to be merely at the top, instead of the top of the top.
Now she's back. And she's different. This one grew on me. A vaguely house influenced album. I feel the influence of K-Pop here, especially on yes, and?
More ambient than expected, and a bit disappointing to those who might want Grande to make the most out of her vocal chops. But the hooks are there.
Very Max Martin-y, very EDM influenced. I miss the sparkling R&B of thank u, next, but I can’t deny the hooks. Once you get on the album’s wavelength and stop expecting the Ariana of 2019, it works.
Streaming below via Bandcamp.
Highlights: bye • supernatural • imperfect for you
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