Ariana Grande has finally decided to mesmerize us with her captivating voice. Grande released her most recent album on March 9, four years since her last album: ‘positions’. Her newest album, ‘eternal sunshine’, offers a view of unveiled emotions in her relationships.
The album begins with a short introduction to the album called “intro (end of the world)”. Her lyricism begins with a confused mindset about her relationship status. The song begins with soft instruments leading to a gentle beat drop as her singing starts with “How can I know if I’m in the right relationship?/Aren’t you really supposed to know that s**t?” This allows her listeners to comprehend the vulnerability she is struggling to fix as she wonders if her decisions were the right ones. Grande uses a futuristic euphemism to ask her partner if they would think about her as their last thought. An attempt to see if her partner cares about her the way she cares for him.
“[B]ye”, her next song shows the struggle of breaking up with a partner where they have tried repeatedly to make their relationship work, yet it was unsuccessful. The song has a smooth and gentle beat, and her sweet voice with a melancholy tone, continues the song singing “I can’t believe I’m finally moving through my fears/At least I know how hard we tried, both you and me.” This is inferred to be about Dalton Gomez, her ex-husband, whom she divorced after breaking up repeatedly with him. Grande uses her vulnerability to show that neither of them is to blame for the failure of the relationship as they both tried to work it out multiple times.
Grande’s follow-up song “don’t wanna break up again” showcases her sad thoughts about her relationship. It’s her realizing the hard truth that she must break up with him despite the pain, as she puts so much effort and realizes her boyfriend doesn’t give the same effort back. This shows her devastated exasperation as she comes to the realization that this isn’t what a healthy relationship should be or look like, and realizes the only way out is to break away from the relationship, a tenet she has fought hard to stay away from.
A space-related interlude is introduced next. Lyrics relating to Saturn to compare it to her personal life, it is a break from the relationship focus of her album shifts the spotlight on who Grande wants to be. It is a reality check for her as it says “It’s time for you to get real about life/And sort out who you really are.” Allowing her listeners to understand that there is still confusion about her identity as her own person.
Furthermore, Grande’s song “eternal sunshine”, which the album is named after, starts playing. A soft pop-like melody is finished with Grande’s “whisperpop” or “whisper tone”. A technique used throughout a lot of her album, which includes singing great melodies while whispering. Writing about getting cheated on, Grande includes lyrics such as “I showed you all my demons, all my lies/Yet you played me like Atari … Hope you feel alright when you’re in her/I found a good boy and he’s on my side/You’re just my eternal sunshine, sunshine.” She makes sure that after mentioning the infidelity played by her partner, she mentions how she’s found someone better who provides her the happiness she deserves.
A more simplistic song follows; “supernatural.” It is a way to express the love and contentment she feels once she has found “the one” for her. An image of her love for her new relationship flourishes as she sings with felicity and expresses how such love is so much that it almost feels supernatural.
One of the most successful songs of the album, “true story” depicts Grande’s views on false allegations. This is a response towards a purposeful bad view that has been focused upon her. She expresses how she will accept the bad image as she says “I’ll play the villain if you need me to”. While most of the lyrics consists of pure repeatism, it is indiscreetly a way to clap back at any haters who paint her in a negative spotlight.
Currently going viral on TikTok, “the boy is mine” is also a hit. Already with viral choreography, the song journeys through the confusion of Grande’s lifestyle . As she says “I’m usually so unproblematic/So independent, tell me why/’Cause that boy is mine, mine/Something about him is made for somebody like me.” It reaches the point where she realizes that she wants the boy to be her lover once she sings “The stars, they aligned/The boy is mine.” She shows her position as her man’s lover and shows off how he is hers and only hers without any doubt and the same way back.
The most prominent song of the album “yes, and?” a comeback to all the haters for her newest relationship with Ethan Slater. Grande continues the song by expressing how if you do something, to not hide behind it, and express and own up to your actions completely. When she saudi “Say that s**t with your chest and/Be your own f**kin’ bets friend” is where she shows that she fully owns up to her actions and won’t depend on someone else to cover them. Showing the confidence shows the carelessness towards the haters and how she won’t fight back and argue and instead will express her own actions and leave them up for interpretation.
Back to a more sorrowful mood of regret, her song “we can’t be friends (wait for your love)” speaks about waiting for someone to fall back in love with you desperately privately, yet patiently in public. Her somewhat upbeat song goes “You cling to your papers and pens/Wait until you like me again/Wait for your love.” Caring for a person you truly had a lot of feelings only to realize its better pretending as if you didn’t know them is the significance of this heartfelt song.
Continuing the melancholy feel of her recent song, her following song “i wish i hated you” shows her deeply rooted love despite being wronged. It expresses unwanted forgiveness she feels, yet deeply wishes she could at least contemplate hating them. It shows desperation of the wrong done being worse so that she could completely despise them to the extent they deserve, as currently she cannot.
A softer toned, yet most enthusiastic song, is “imperfect for you”. Talking about the experiences she went through while being in a relationship, and how she wasn’t the “perfect” girlfriend/wife only in this relationship. It was this one where she was imperfect. She accentuates her singing when she says “imperfect for you” by rising her tone and giving a magical vibe when singing that specific line. Allowing to be noticeable how this has only happened in this specific relationship of hers.
Featuring Nonna, Ariana Grande’s grandmother, Grande sings while Nonna gives advice near the end of the song about how all they want is a normal relationship with nothing out of the ordinary. It is what they consider a “safe” relationship if they do simple things and don’t change much. The importance of her grandmother shows the important role Nonna has that Grande follows without thinking twice, showing the trust of her grandmother to the fullest.
Ariana Grande’s album “eternal sunshine” is one of the best albums released of 2024 so far. It journeys through relationship problems and feelings, yet knowing how to overcome that by the end. In the beginning of the album, in intro Grande says “How can I tell if I’m in the right relationship?” and Nonna responds to her in the last song “Never go to bed without kissin’ goodnight/That’s the worst thing to do, don’t ever, ever do that.” This shows the well thought-out process of Grande’s album and shows the significance of learning while in a relationship.