The context of Ariana Grande’s first album in 4 years (her longest gap between releases since her debut) is an easy thing to kick off a review of her music with, but is also slightly lazy. The real magic of Eternal Sunshine as an album is how Ariana Grande manages to craft music that works within the context of her very public relationships, but feels so much more personal than something as surface level as a tabloid story.
The songwriting on Eternal Sunshine may be the the most obvious highlight of the record. Ariana has dived deep before, Sweetener and the fantastic Thank U, Next albums come to mind, but I don’t think I’ve ever heard her go this far lyrically. ‘I wish i hated you’ is a clear standout, but the phrasing of ‘imperfect for you’ or the melodies of ‘supernatural’ need to be mentioned too. ‘Our shadows dance in a parallel plane just two different endings, you learn to repair and I learn to keep me in one place’; lyrically Ariana has never sounded more in command of what she wants to say.
The step up from 2020’s Positions is monumental really, any fears I had of Thank U, Next being an anomaly of a front to back brilliant album from Ariana Grande were dashed as soon as ‘intro (end of the world)’ ended and knockout Pop RnB track ‘bye’ began. This is exactly the style where Ariana shines as a vocallist and performer, the brassy instrumentation against her vocals and a shimmering breeziness to everything, ‘bye’ has fast become one of my standout songs of Ariana’s long career.
It wasn’t until hearing this that I realised just how off base initial single ‘yes, and?’ was from the rest of this album though. That song remains a beefy pop hit and the most danceable moment here, but it’s absolutely not representative of the wider RnB and emotive album elsewhere. I actually like the change of pace it gives to the second half of the record though and alongisde ‘we can’t be friends’ and ‘supernatural’ it completes a series of pop leaning songs that feel essential to Eternal Sunshine.
‘We can’t be friends’ needs to be mentioned, if only for its thudding synth and bassline that recalls the best Robyn records. It’s maybe the most straightforwardly ‘pop’ song that Ariana has released since Sweetener, but it’s stacked with emotion that hits right to the core of me whenever I hear it. Ariana’s vocals are much less showy than usual here and on many of the tracks on this album, there’s a lot to be said for holding enough back for the emotion to come through. Her performances here might even convince people who can’t stand singers who ‘riff’ constantly, it’s her most subtly brilliant vocal performance yet.
Eternal Sunshine could easily become caught up in its own narrative, the promo around the album certainly has, but in the end this is one of the strongest front to back Ariana Grande albums of her now long career. Songs like ‘bye’, ‘imperfect for you’, ‘supernatural’ and ‘we can’t be friends’ are sure to become defining songs for this period of Ariana’s life and career, but it’s how complete the record feels as an album that left me the most impressed. A killer RnB Pop album.
Words by Sam Atkins
Picky Bastards 
Leave a comment