Ariana Grande is bringing back the pop girl magic of the 2000s in her diverse and inspiring album eternal sunshine. At just 35 minutes long, Grande packs a punch with each word and instrumental, making 13 tracks feel like nothing. The album is a multifaceted piece of work, addressing the ongoing rumors circulating about her divorce and new relationship while reflecting on heartbreak and using symbolism from the film Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. This album sees Grande at her best yet in what is truly a special moment in her life.
eternal sunshine begins with "intro (end of the world)," a slow and haunting track that opens with the question "How do I know if I'm in the right relationship?" She says what we have thought at one point in our lives - if we are truly happy in our current relationships and if it is time to let it go. With a simple guitar backing her, she melodically speaks about her new experiences with love. As the track continues, her harmonies shine through as she sings "If the sun refused to shine/Baby, would I still be your lover?/Would you want me there?" A simple yet tragic track, Grande starts the album on a high note.
She segways heavily into the next track "bye" - speaking about how done she is with her relationship. With funk-inspired grooves and synths, Ariana makes sure to pause after each word to let her words sink in, and "Courtney just pulled up in the driveway," so boy bye! During the chorus, she adds a fun and lighthearted feeling, with added percussion reminiscent of the house-inspired track "yes, and?" She is sad that her relationship is over as she reflects on the bridge, adding strings to emphasize her mood - but she knows it is for the best.
"don't wanna break up again" is my favorite track off eternal sunshine for its R&B-inspired beats and relatable lyricism. Speaking about a toxic relationship, she doesn't want her "situationship" to end but knows it has to. Grande tugs on the heartstrings as she sings "I made it so easy/Spent so much on therapy/With my own co-dependency/But you didn't even try/When you finally did, it was at the wrong time/Won't abandon me again for you and I." Grande brings pop girl realness on this track with her intricate layered vocals and her perfect beats.
The title track speaks the truth of the aftermath of breakups and how hard it is to accept you have to move on - and they are too. With intricate strings mixed with her trap-inspired beats, Grande sings "So now we play our separate scenes/Now, now she's in my bed laying on your chest/Now I'm in my head, wondering how it ends." She realizes she got played "like Atari," but he is now her "eternal sunshine," a reference to the movie and how she wishes she could wipe him away from her memories. In the same breath, she hopes he "feels alright when he's in her," not wishing him ill. The bridge in this track is unique, speaking about the intense anxiety she feels. "Won't break, can't shake/This fate, rewrite/Deep breaths, tight chest/Life, death, rewind" - feelings that are hard to stop. This part also sounds amazing with headphones on, bouncing back and forth.
Another track that is one of my favorites is "supernatural." She wants her new love interest to "claim it," and be hers, not expecting love to come at her like this. It is "possessing," her, the same way supernatural beings take over humans. With haunting vocals and an impressive beat, she doesn't forget to remind the listeners that what she has now is the best she has ever had, and won't fight the feelings.
The next track "true story" was leaked in the summer, with Grande finding that "disheartening" and she "was going to come back this hook to use eventually." Despite the leak, she did come around to use the hook again. With powerful vocals and a funky beat, "true story" directly calls out the media who played into the rumors, singing "This is a true story about all the lies/You fantasized/'Bout you and I/This is a true story about all the games/I know you play." She reflects that these people have too much time on their hands and that she will play the part they want her to - and do it good. All she wants is love and for this game to end, and based on the reception of the album, people are back to loving her.
"the boy is mine" brings bad girl realness, interpolating Brandy and Monica's 1998 track by the same name. She knew the fans wanted her to put a song similar to her viral leaked track "Fantasize," and she delivered. "the boys is mine" is a fiery and passionate track, with the similar theme of how she wasn't expecting love to hit her like it did. Grande lets the world know, though, "The boy is mine/I can't wait to try him/Let's get intertwined/The stars, they aligned." This track will be the world's new club favorite - one that makes me dance when it comes on.
The second single impacting the airwaves is "we can't be friends (wait for your love)" A track people assumed was about her ex-husband is perhaps best interpreted to be about the media and how they will never love her. She has notably not spoken about the accusations against her because she doesn't want to feed the "monstrous fire," though this album is a way of doing so. With an electronic-inspired backing, Grande sings "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." Despite them not being on her side, she will wait for their love with her truth.
The saddest track on eternal sunshine comes next. "i wish i hated you" sounds like a nursery rhyme with beautiful strings and Grande's gorgeous vocals. She feels guilty for wishing her ex the best and says "I wish I hated you/I wish that weren't true/Wish there was worse to you/I wish you were worse to me." Not hating her past partner makes the healing process worse, but in the end, it makes her stronger.
Ariana Grande channels an alternative section of pop with "imperfect for you." What sounds like an acoustic pop-punk track, Grande is candid about herself singing that she is "Fucked up, anxious, too much/But I'll love you like you need me to/Imperfect for you/Messy, completely distressed/But I'm not like that since I met you." She is sweet and to the point, and knows that she and her partner make each other better and help each other be the best version of themselves. Sometimes things need to get hard before they get better - and she highlights that perfectly in this track.
The final track of the album "ordinary things" brings back the R&B vibe present in the first half. She reflects that she and her partner can do anything, but nothing will ever be ordinary. With her signature high vocal presence, Grande sings about how much her partner means to her -"just like the first sip of wine after a long day." The album closure answers the question asked in the beginning -"How do I know I am in the right relationship?" Ariana Grande's grandmother, aka Nonna, answers: "I told her/Never go to bed without kissin' goodnight/That's the worst thing to do, don't ever, ever do that/And if you can't, and if you don't feel comfortable doing it/You're in the wrong place, get out."
Overall, eternal sunshine is one of the best albums I have ever heard in my entire life. It breathes new life into the pop atmosphere and shows Ariana Grande's maturity throughout her career. Good luck to everybody trying to get tickets to her future tour!
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