Ariana Grande’s eighth studio album, eternal sunshine, debuted to favorable reviews. The song “we can’t be friends (wait for your love)” has become a new staple, debuting at No. 1 on the Billboard Global 200 at its initial release a year ago. The album’s deluxe version, eternal sunshine deluxe: bright days ahead, was released on March 28 with additional tracks like “intro (end of the world) – extended,” “twilight zone,” “warm,” “dandelion,” “past life,” and “Hampstead.”Â
Of the six additions, all of which add their own piece to the eternal sunshine world, the one that provides me the most secret satisfaction is the fourth new track, “dandelion.” While tracks like “twilight zone,” “past life,” and “Hampstead” pull from the album’s core themes of betrayal, reflection, and growth, there’s just something about “dandelion” that sticks with me.
One major piece of the appeal is the music itself. “Dandelion” matches the production quality of the rest of eternal sunshine. The trumpet solo beginning the track ultimately fades into a synth beat that provides the ideal backdrop for a carelessly perfect pop song. Grande’s smooth voice and the melodic, soulful trumpet of the opening complement each other well and add a layer of individuality to the song.
The song calls back to Grande’s masterpiece “God is a woman” with the lyrics “You like how I pray / the secret’s in me.” The sweetener track is known for its playfulness and sensual religious imagery, something that “dandelion” teases in these lyrics.Â
“Dandelion” feels more like the classic Grande powerhouse than even a song like “the boy is mine.” It is confident, sensual, and self-assured in a way Grande has mastered over her decade-long career.Â
Though “dandelion” is the one I have on repeat, the most popular deluxe song, “twilight zone,” has its own kind of magic. It feels like the sister of “we can’t be friends (wait for your love)” in that the very tone of the song feels both devastating and wistful. It adds a more complete picture to the eternal sunshine world.Â
If “twilight zone” and “we can’t be friends (wait for your love)” are connected, then “past life” is the alternative ending to the “true story” and “the boy is mine” duo-logy from the original album. “Past life” manages to incorporate strings in a way that still allows the song to feel edgy and on theme for Grande’s message of “elevated expectations.”
Alongside the deluxe album’s release was a short film with the same name. At a runtime of little over 26 minutes, “brighter days ahead” flawlessly incorporates these deluxe songs with some of the best originals from the album: “intro (end of the world),” “eternal sunshine,” and “supernatural.” The film pairs the classics with her newest releases, “twilight zone,” “dandelion,” and “Hampstead.”
In a world of short videos and even shorter attention spans, eternal sunshine deluxe: bright days ahead feels like the beautiful execution of an artist’s vision in a way that feels both deeply personal and highly professional. Check out the “dandelion” clip and how Grande’s other songs fit into the vision by watching brighter days ahead on YouTube.