After having quite the controversial 2023, from her blonde eyebrows to scandalous affairs, Ariana Grande has finally released her highly anticipated album, Eternal Sunshine, and might I say I was very pleasantly surprised by this record!
I obviously expected quality vocals, because hello this is Ariana Grande we’re talking about, but going into this listening experience knowing the questionable behaviors that may be the influence behind this 36-minute album and also knowing how little time she spent on Eternal Sunshine, I must admit I was a little nervous. However, I found this album to be much more vulnerable than previously expected. The concept was very interesting, cohesive, and felt like a body of art as opposed to a compilation of songs — something I’m afraid some of our newer singers are still trying to figure out. This mixed with the otherworldly vibes, exciting visuals, and golden vocals that Ariana Grande effortlessly provides, this album feels fresh and is an obvious standout to releases from other pop singers.
Something that I really appreciate from this album was how fun it was at times. I like a sad bop as much as the next gal, but I didn’t realize just how much I missed upbeat, danceable music until I heard songs like “the boy is mine” and “bye.”
On the flip side, however, I’ve lately noticed that Ariana Grande can sometimes use grandiosity to “live, love, light” her way out of situations, so I also appreciated her willingness to be a little more vulnerable about her experiences with her failed marriage with Dalton Gomez and her current relationship with Ethan Slater. She’s of course been very open in the past, particularly with her 2019 record thank u next, but I wasn’t expecting that for Eternal Sunshine. As a human, Ari owes us absolutely no explanations and she’s totally in control of what stories she chooses to share, but as an artist I applaud her ability to share these pieces of her life with the world in such a unique way. The album doesn’t fail to highlight the complexities of love and heartache.
Overall, it’s creative, fun, straight to the point, and very very real. So, if you haven’t already, I totally recommend giving Eternal Sunshine by Ariana Grande a listen!