It seems my TikTok feed will never get over the unending Ariana Grande related drama (or memes of her as a flower bud). From an album release in the middle of tour, to a sudden announcement that she is taking a step back from the public eye, it has been a crazy week to be an Ariantator.
Her 8th studio album dropped last Friday, and I can confidently say it has been the only thing I have listened to since. The album itself is a much darker (in my notes I frequently used the word ‘spooky’) shift from her most recent tracks. Whereas many hear the name Ariana Grande and picture the whistle tones of a pop princess in a high ponytail, petal shows a much lower side of the singer’s range, while sending a clear message about how she wants to be seen by the public.
“Kiss Me” opens the album, and in repeat plays has proven to be one of my favorite tracks on the album. Its opening is ethereal, to use only one word, and it reminds me of the image of Grande floating above the stage during “Supernatural” on her current tour. As for the coherent message of the album itself, Grande has been quoted saying it is the most “feral” she has ever been when songwriting–though she is writing about inner demons, as opposed to real life people. However, many fans have been quick to compare lyricism with that of “We Can’t Be Friends”-the single from 2023’s Eternal Sunshine-which has been widely speculated to be about her fans themselves. Ariana, having been in the spotlight for well over a decade now, has garnered lots of attention over the years, not all of it positive by any means. And in recent years, social media has greatly affected how artists and their fans can interact. Many so-called “fans” use their platforms to talk about artists outside of their music, from their dating lives to their personal style, and the anonymity that social media brings, combined with the immediate serotonin of vitality in general, has given people courage to be frankly cruel when posting. Ariana Grande is an artist that is not afraid to clap back at these takes, specifically online, but she also has hinted at them in some of her lyrics. On “petal”, the titular single from her newest album, she sings of a “f*cked situation,” and her music video alludes to a struggling artist, constantly being told to change herself, but she always has to smile, because she is living the dream in a so-called “paradise.”
And speaking of music videos, since her past album, Eternal Sunshine, it has been interesting to see Grande take a more storytelling focused perspective in translating her songs to the visual format. The videos for “petal” and “hate that i made you love me” tell a cohesive story, with named characters. In a behind-the-scenes clip, Grande even refers to “petal” as a horror film, more than a music video. The videos were directed by Christian Breslauer, who directed the Eternal Sunshine short film last year. It won Video of the Year at the VMAs for the way it combined multiple songs from Grande’s album into a moving 26 minute story of how we hold our memories, both the good and the bad. I frankly would not be surprised if “petal” follows suit this coming September.
As I previously mentioned, the “petal” music video tells the story of a struggling actress named Pepper, though her circumstances show glaring similarities to what Grande has faced in the public eye over the years. As Pepper goes in for audition after audition, performing her heart out, the panel constantly tells her to change-which she does. She changes so much that they eventually make a series of remarks about “missing the old her.” An ironic statement, as many of Grande’s so-called “fans” say the very same thing about her. They miss her high ponytail from 2019, or the music she made in her early 20s. Yet the pop star is now older and has changed. Everyone changes their style, or their likes and dislikes as we move through life. Why should she have to stay the same just because she decided to share her talents with the world?
It is interesting to note the timing of this album for Grande, as it was recently announced she will be taking a break from the public eye after her tour ends, due to constant public scrutiny of every move she makes. In all fairness, since Wicked in 2024, it seems Ariana Grande has been everywhere. After working non-stop in multiple areas, from acting, to music, and her makeup brand, it is not surprising that she would want to take a breather. But she herself said onstage that boundaries need to be set in her life. Whether that just means deleting her Instagram, or following suit to artists that live in a completely private way (I’m looking at you Tayvis!), it seems we will be losing the Queen of Pop, though hopefully only for a little while. And personally, I am saddened that people’s arrogance and cruelty online contributed to this, if only even a little bit. It makes me wonder if her “fans” even listen to her music in the first place, or if they are just looking for another female artist to cancel into oblivion,