On October 21st, while everyone else was getting ready for Halloween, Arianators all over the world were eager to hear “Positions”, and it was a hit.
I second-guessed whether I was spending my time wisely by listening to an album that starts with this track. It was very underwhelming to hear Ariana Grande repeat, “Shut up”, over the Wii theme song.
13. off the table (with The Weeknd)
Most people can probably relate to this song as it’s about giving a relationship a second chance, but it’s boring. The vocals are phenomenal but the song doesn’t have any catchiness to it.
12. six-thirty
“You know I’m very delicious” ruined the song for me.
11. love language
I’m glad that Ariana’s branching out because this definitely is more retro than I expected any of her songs to be. It’s weird and I like it. It just ranks a bit lower because it’s shadowed by her other songs.
10. obvious
This song puts a smile on my face because it makes my heart melt when I hear about how much she loves Dalton Gomez. It’s a bit bland, but it fits the mood. Just like Spencer Reid in Criminal Minds, we want her to catch a break after all of the tragedy she’s had to endure.
9. just like magic
I’m considering setting this song as my alarm because of how positive this song is. She sings about self-love and meditation. This gives me some sweetener vibes because of how mellow the melody is. Maybe too mellow for my liking. Either way, it’s a serotonin boost.
8. my hair
Did we just hear jazz chords in an Ariana Grande album? And I’m not keeping track, but I’m pretty sure those were some of the highest whistle tones in the album. This song was not expected and I’m very, very glad she’s stepping in this direction.
7. west side
The production really reminds me of the “thank u, next” era. The pre-chorus is so catchy it should be illegal. A lot of people saw this as a filler for the album but it’s melancholy and bass-boosted enough to stand out from the rest of this light-hearted album.
6. safety net ft. Ty Dolla $ign
The lyrics convey vulnerability and complex emotions that take guts to admit. The two sides these artists are singing feel less forced than Off the Table. I’m a fan.
5. motive (with Doja Cat)
For all of the Dangerous Woman junkies, fear not, for we have our fix of dance-pop. Doja Cat goes hard as we’ve all expected. I expect to hear H&M abuse this song for the next few years and I don’t think anyone will mind.
4. 34 35
Never would I have predicted Ari singing about sixty-nining. Lyrics like “Got the neighbors yelling ‘Earthquake’” and “‘Math class, never was good’” is comedy gold I never expected from a pop song.
3. nasty
Our Lord and Savior Ariana Grande blessed us with more whistle tones in the beginning. She’s not shying away from R&B OR sex on this track and it’s a perfect combination. Fun fact: A snippet of this song was leaked a while back so Arianators around the world heard the magnitude of Ari’s horniness way before this album came out.
2. positions
I’m biased because she’s the President of the United States in the music video. Who isn’t? What isn’t subjective is the amount of work she put into the production of this single. I’ve listened to this song at least fifty times now and it still blows my mind each time.
1. pov
This is probably the most emotional piece you’ll ever hear in your life. By the end of my first listen my face was drenched with tears. Everyone’s felt self-doubt and insecurity at some point in their life, but the way she sings it and expresses it is perfection. She used her artistry to put raw emotion into her voice. This song is perfect.
