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Album Review: “Thank U, Next” by Ariana Grande

This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at CNU chapter.

Only six months after releasing her fourth studio album Sweetener, Ariana Grande dropped another one: Thank U, Next. This album has been long awaited since she dropped her single of the same title in November.

This is Grande’s first solo album, meaning her voice and artistry occupies all twelve tracks without features. Another difference between this album and her previous releases is the vibe, especially when compared to Sweetener. Sweetener featured a light and happy overall tone, while Thank U, Next presents listeners with a dark and deep tone.

Thank U, Next displays Grande’s impressive vocal feats much better than Sweetener did, which adds so much complexity to the album. It’s beautifully produced and is stylistically unique in Grande’s lineup.

We all already jam out to “Thank U, Next” and “7 Rings,” and “Imagine” may or may not have put you in your feels a few times, but here are some of my other personal favorites from the album:

“NASA” is a track about needing time out of a relationship to discover yourself. I love it simply because it’s catchy, fun, and empowering.

“Bad Idea” is a rebound anthem. On this track, Grande tells the story of essentially using another person to forget about past relationships or problems. I know we hate to admit it, but it’s relatable.

“In My Head” chronicles a situation where you create a person to be a certain way in your head, when in reality they suck, and your friends told you that, and you really did know it the whole time, but it’s just so hard to snap out of it. Grande’s got you on that one.

I’m personally loving this album so far, and judging by all of the records this album is breaking, the rest of the world is too! Stream Thank U, Next by Ariana Grande here on Spotify.

Have you listened to Thank U, Next yet? If so, what are your favorite songs? Let me know in the comments!

Lauren is from Richmond, Virginia. She is majoring in English and planning to pursue a Masters degree in education. She can usually be found reading, volunteering, lifting weights, and/or jamming out to Ariana Grande.