On August 17th, Ariana Grande officially released her long-awaited fourth album to the public. “Sweetener” features Ariana’s powerhouse voice through her trademark upbeat pop songs as usual, but this time we see through a lens we’ve never seen from her before. “Sweetener” as a whole is positive, dreamy, colorful, and dare I say, sweet. New and old Ariana fans alike can easily see what a good place she’s in with her life and her music, and it’s refreshing. If you’re having a hard time starting the semester with positivity, let “Sweetener” help brighten your week.
Image via Twitter
You’ve likely already heard the album’s first two singles, “No Tears Left to Cry” and “God is a Woman.” Both are infectiously upbeat and uplifting, focusing on Ariana’s newfound happiness and body positivity. The album is all about happiness, but it also features several songs about love, self-confidence, and anxiety. My personal top six songs are listed below, but I believe every song on the album is amazing in its own right.
2. blazed (feat. Pharrell Williams)
This is one of the most fun songs on the album, with Pharrell and Ariana’s vocals working together effortlessly on the chorus. The lyrics about loving someone are simple and sweet, which makes this song a great start to the album.
4. R.E.M.
Track four will make you fall either in love or asleep, and both are great options. The chorus features the lyrics “you’re such a dream to me”, “I don’t wanna wake up”, and “is this real?”. The song makes you feel warm and cozy, something we could all use as we struggle to relax this semester.
6. sweetener
This song obviously embodies the whole album, as they have the same title. You can really tell how happy Ariana is through this song, and how happy a certain someone is making her (read about her recent engagement to SNL’s Pete Davidson here). “sweetener” is about staying positive when life gets difficult, and turning “salt” situations into “sweet” ones.
Photo by Berisik Radio.com via Flickr
7. successful
This song is a true anthem for female success and encouragement, specifically in the music industry. Ariana has come a long way from her days singing on YouTube, and she has a right to celebrate it. Whenever you need encouragement, let Ariana tell you “you are so young / and beautiful and so successful.”
9. breathin
Hands down my favorite song on the album, “breathin” depicts Ariana’s struggles with anxiety and how she powers through every day. Anyone with anxiety or panic attacks can relate to lyrics like “feel my blood runnin’ / swear the sky’s fallin’ / I know that all this shit’s fabricated”, while all of us can benefit from a song reminding us to breathe. When the semester starts to get stressful, this is definitely one to listen to on repeat.
Overall, “Sweetener” is a refreshing album from one of today’s queens of pop that is sure to brighten up your semester. When you’re stressed, anxious, or down, just open up Spotify and let Ariana’s smooth voice soothe all your troubles.