Multi-talented singer, songwriter, and actress Ariana Grande can do it all. Since being in the spotlight for most of her life, Grande has been in many recurring TV series on Nickelodeon, multiple movies, and has released many incredible and sincere songs within her previous six studio albums. Despite this, nothing has been as mature and raw as her new album: Eternal Sunshine.
Released on March 8, the album moves through many different emotions which blend together as it progresses. This album will leave listeners dancing, crying, and in awe of the spectacular lyricism and production that went into it.
The album’s lead single “yes, and?”, released on Jan. 12, is one of the more upbeat and fun songs on the album. This song is a bit different from the rest and stands out because of the cheerful and confident energy it emits. Even though it may have a repetitive chorus that plays many times throughout the song, the repetition reiterates Grande’s optimism about the future and wanting to see what is in store for her next with the line, “Keep moving on like/What’s next?” This lead single really drew listeners, even non-fans, into the album before its release – it was the perfect choice.
The first song, “intro (end of the world),” holds the perfect calm and serene feeling to open the record. In this song, Grande contemplates whether or not she should stay in her relationship. At the beginning, Grande sings about how she had had an interaction that made her wonder if she and her partner still love each other and if staying with him would be the best idea. This opening track flows nicely into the story of the album.
Shifting from a soft and peaceful introduction, the track “bye” comes next, with exciting beats and addictive lyrics. Grande transitions to describing how she left her lover and how she felt. She sings about how she was scared to leave the relationship but felt happy once she finally did. “bye” is the best dance song on the album to carelessly jump around too and move to the beat.
Another perfect upbeat song similar to “yes, and?” and “bye”, mixing both incredible background beats and Grande’s insane vocals, is the eighth track “the boy is mine.” This is one of those songs that will make the listener want to dance around their room. With catchy lyrics and a soft, yet powerful tempo, Grande tells the story of how she wants a boy that she really should not have. With the lyrics “God knows I’m trying, but there’s just no use in denying/The boy is mine”, Grande recognizes that her plan may not be the right one but no can deny that this boy is right for her.
The title track “eternal sunshine” is one of the tracks that I liked least. The lyrics in this song are still great and the way that Grande tells her stories are very captivating. However, the sounds in the background were distracting from the lyrics. Even with that, the song is not inherently “bad” but could have had a different beat that would have enhanced the lyrics.
One of the things that was very different from the other tracks on the album was the “Saturn Returns Interlude.” In the interlude, Grande has no vocals and instead an astrologer, Diana Garland, is given the mic and relates Saturn’s cycle to a wakeup call. This can be translated over to the rest of Grande’s tracks about how she had the “Wake up call” about leaving her relationship and sorting out what she truly wanted out of life. Sometimes having an interlude on an album can be a hit or miss, however, the ethereal sound mixed with the wise words of Garland made this fit into the album perfectly.
Another very notable track was the tenth song “we can’t be friends (wait for your love).” This song is one of the best songs on Eternal Sunshine with Grande’s heavenly vocals and the perfect rhythm to match. This track has been a very big hit with all of her fans and I can see why; the contrast between the sadder lyrics and the more boisterous background beats creates an extremely compelling sound.
Closing out the album with her song “ordinary things (feat. Nonna)” completes the album with a happy ending. Grande ends her album with finally feeling joyful and at peace in a relationship and specifying that she does not need anything fancy as long as she has him in the line, “I don’t need no diamonds, just your time.” Also featuring her grandmother in the final couple seconds of the song giving advice to Grande about her own relationships and how to know if it is healthy. This was an amazing way to speak to her fans and give guidance through her own grandmother’s words.
Overall, all of the songs flawlessly fit together to create a wonderful album. This album had a much more mature and eye opening feel than her previous albums had and the song’s production, lyrics, and vocals mixed together so well and created beautifully magical tracks that are able to resonate with many people. If you really enjoyed Eternal Sunshine, then go check out Silence Between Songs by Madison Beer for beautifully sincere lyrics with a mix of both upbeat and calmer songs, and also go check out THINK LATER by Tate McRae for fun beats to dance around too.
9/10
