Less than six months after Sweetener was released, Ariana Grande decided to throw another record our way, in the name of her successful single thank u, next.
The best way to describe this album would be in the form of a quote by my older sister.
When discussing the album she said, “This was really good for an album that was supposed to be bad.”
Grande released Sweetener amidst an overabundance of chaos in her personal life. The artist was taking leaps of faith in every aspect of her life, from musical endeavors to impromptu engagements.
Like most things in life, there is no guarantee that those acts of courage will be successful in the long run.
Sweetener was not a collective record. There was a lot going on musically, and many of the tracks were forgettable.
So when “thank u, next” was released in November, I was nervous.
The single was a monumental moment in Grande’s career because she was revealing personal details of her life in such an overt way.
The album thank u, next gave me everything I needed. It is like Dangerous Woman’s pretty sister.
The day the album was released, Grande also gave us the music video for “break up with your girlfriend, i’m bored.” Grande is offering a mix of R&B and pop in this album, which is gives listeners Aaliyah vibes but with a lighter edge.
The artist is not as seamless in this genre as artists like Aaliyah and TLC were, but she is presenting those R&B themes in this album.
I must also mention how she samples “It Makes Me Ill” by *NSYNC in the last verse. As a big *NSYNC fan growing up and now as an adult, that was an astounding surprise.
This album was appearing to be another pop-confected piece of work, but it had many other layers than initially perceived.
Another track that stood out amongst the rest was “bad idea.” The beginning of the track reminds me of “One Song Glory” from the musical Rent.
Grande starred in the Broadway show Thirteen when she was younger, and she incorporates theatrical themes into her songs.
This was another personal element to the album, which is not as overt as mentioning someone’s name in a song, but is definitely there.
There is a mix of theater, R&B, and pop in this album, which further demonstrates that this is a record made by Grande.
This is probably the most personal record we have received from her.
As unfortunate as it is, most of the best art comes from a place of despair and agony.
Grande is no stranger to that, and this album was a sentiment to a dark time in her life that she overcame with grace.
IMAGE TAKEN from The Fader
