Popstar Ariana Grande has recently made what is arguably one of the most highly-anticipated returns in the modern music industry. On March 7, the artist released her first full-length album, “eternal sunshine,” after an almost four-year hiatus.
The album’s title takes inspiration from Michel Gondry’s “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind,” a movie where a man chooses to wipe his memory of the heartbreak that surrounded a breakup with his ex-girlfriend. The film considers the value of painful memories and how they help shape an individual – an idea that serves as the basis of Grande’s newest masterpiece.
“Each song is filled with emotion and attitude that makes each song hit perfectly for its lyrics,” The Eastern Echo journalist Marie White said in an album review of her own. “The album puts together a story you can listen to on a loop, that impresses each time you listen.”
Grande’s personal life has been a hot topic as of late, with fans and critics commenting on both her recent divorce and her new, somewhat controversial relationship with a co-star from “Wicked,” . Over 13 new tracks, Grande paints a narrative full of vulnerability and emotion that addresses some of these discussions.
“It’s impossible to put into words what [I]’ve been feeling this week,” said Grande in a recent Instagram post. “This album is most special to me for many reasons and just holds so much. Sharing it has re-opened a lot of little and big feelings alike.”
As always, Grande’s vocals stun, seamlessly displaying a wide vocal range throughout the entire album. Starting off with catchy dance-pop beats in songs like “bye” and “yes, and?”, Grande switches to softer, gentler tones in songs like “imperfect for you.” Throughout the many shifts in vocal pitch, though, each song consistently features impeccable vocal prowess.
“eternal sunshine is a fitting title – the album sounds like liquid gold; it is gorgeous and lush,” PopPassion author Lauren Nolan said in a blog post. “The record feels like a definitive beginning point to a new phase of Ariana Grande’s musical journey and is a wonderful return after all these years.”
Furthermore, the shift from adoring lyrics like “this love’s possessing me and i don’t mind at all” in “supernatural” to lines full of heartbreak like “i wish i hated you, i wish that weren’t true” in “i wish i hated you” masterfully tells a love story before describing how devastating life became without it. With its skillful vocal mixing and rich lyrical themes, eternal sunshine is a wonderful start to a new chapter for Grande.
“Though it is not the first time Grande has dealt with her public heartbreaks on record, eternal sunshine takes on a different approach for the singer,” Nolan said in her post. “It is a quieter, more mature album, and one of her best to date.”
