Pop Perfection

Review of Ariana Grande’s New Album “Eternal Sunshine”

Photo by Emma / CC BY-SA 2.0

After four long years of waiting, singer-songwriter Ariana Grande finally dropped her new album “Eternal Sunshine” on March 8. This marks Grande’s seventh studio album. Her latest album exposes us to the tough journey and battle of emotions she faced during her divorce from ex-husband Dalton Gomez. Unlike her previous albums which were fairly optimistic about love, “Eternal Sunshine” takes us through all the stages of grief experienced when a person loses someone they love. 

The first few songs present an introduction setting up Grande’s overall essential question, which she answers lyrically throughout the rest of the album. In the first song “Intro (End of the World),” Grande asks a series of questions, such as “How can I tell if I’m in the right relationship?” and “If the sun refused to shine baby, would I still be your lover?” By doing so she delivers intense feelings surrounding heartbreak. Unlike most of Grande’s songs that are energetic and eager, the song's beats are calming and slow, building a sense of wonder. “We Can’t Be Friends (Wait for Your Love)” debuted number one on Billboard Global 200 within days of being released. The catchy chorus, “We can’t be friends/But I’d like to just pretend/You cling to your papers and pens/Wait until you like me again” delivers the perfect beats for a quick dance break. 

Considering “Eternal Sunshine” is a breakup album, it balances a variety of emotions. The song “Yes, and?” which was Grande’s original lead single from the album switches between emotions like acceptance and positivity, as she also embraces life’s challenges. These emotions can be seen through lyrics like, “Now, I’m so done with caring / What you think, no, I won’t hide.” “True Story” feeds into the public's false perceptions of the singer. She uses this song as a way to address them and also give the haters what they want when she says “I’ll play the villain if you need me to/I know how this goes, yeah” and “I’ll play the bad girl if you need me to/If it makes you feel better” 

Once Grande reaches the end of her album with the song “Ordinary Things (feat. Nonna)” she ultimately comes to the conclusion that love is something one cannot understand. She dedicates the album to simply enjoying the moments with someone you care about. Overall, this album is beautiful lyrically and instrumentally, with catchy and unique songs, making “Eternal Sunshine” by far one of Grande’s best albums. 

<Star Rating>

Lyrics: ★★★★★

Emotions: ★★★★★ 

Trending: ★★★★★