Just a handful of years ago, it would have been hard to imagine a world where Ariana Grande wasn’t dominating pop culture. After releasing two record-shattering albums within six months of each other and picking up her first couple of Grammy awards, Grande cemented her status as an A-list popstar in 2019. However, after the singer’s 2020 album “Positions,” her rapid music output and appearances in the public eye dissolved.
In the 3+ years between “Positions” and her newest record, much of Grande’s teenage fanbase grew older and began their college years. Her influence remains evident through parties and karaoke nights at Vanderbilt where, even five years later, the whole room can rap the entire bridge of “7 rings.” Anticipation for new music has never been higher, which meant that when Grande announced her seventh studio album, the pressure to deliver was immense. Thankfully, “eternal sunshine” did just that, as the singer bears her soul through deeply personal lyricism and flawless production.
“eternal sunshine” draws both its name and inspiration from its eponymous Jim Carrey movie “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.” The film follows a couple who, after a breakup that is too painful to bear, opts to completely erase their memories of one another via a sci-fi-esque procedure. Grande weaves this same story into song via a concept album based on the events and speculation about her recent divorce. Part of what makes “eternal sunshine” so spectacular is that it’s unabashedly real. Though this should not be too surprising given the fact that the album was almost entirely self-written, it’s a first for Grande.
The album opens with “intro (end of the world)” in which Grande, in her signature breathy voice, questions her partner’s loyalty and if the relationship she’s in is worthwhile. Not even two minutes into the record, the singer’s soft, angelic vocals are beautifully laced over tranquil backing. Track 1 clearly sets the tone for the deeply introspective and emotional journey to come.
Next, the album transitions into “bye,” which may be one of its strongest tracks. Grande celebrates her decision to finally leave said unfulfilling partner over an up-tempo, disco-laced beat that is insanely catchy. The bright and confident pure-pop sound is reminiscent of her early hits and has been sorely missed. However, once again what sets this album a step above is its personalness. Even on its radio-friendly tracks, Grande sprinkles glimpses into her personal life such as when she sings that her childhood best friend “Courtney just pulled up in the driveway.”
The next couple of tracks detail the flip side of this decision. In “don’t wanna break up again” the artist struggles with the finality of a decision to leave a partner (perhaps her real-life husband) despite knowing deep down that she is giving more in the relationship than she is taking. “Spent so much on therapy / blamed my own co-dependency / but you didn’t even try” she sings.
After a short interlude, the album’s title track, “eternal sunshine” picks this narrative right back up and illustrates how both Grande and her ex-partner have moved on with different people. This song in particular has been under heavy scrutiny as lyrics such as “yet you played me like Atari” and “hope you feel alright when you’re in her” have led some to think that Grande’s ex-husband Dalton Gomez might have cheated on her. After a flurry of rumors emerged amid her divorce, some tabloids speculated Grande might have been the cheater. However, this song flips the narrative and hints to listeners that there may be more to the story.
On “supernatural,” the mood of the album shifts to be more lighthearted. The repetitive and upbeat track highlights the butterflies-in-the-stomach feeling that one gets when one first has a crush. “This love’s possessing me / but I don’t mind at all,” Grande sings, seemingly about her new partner, Broadway actor Ethan Slater.
The next three tracks “true story,” “the boy is mine” and “yes, and?” take a direct stab at the media who, for months leading up to the album’s release, had been criticizing her new relationship and characterized the singer as a homewrecker based off of circumstantial evidence. The former two detail fictional events in which Grande makes a satirical character out of the homewrecker that the media has made her out to be and details a woman laying eyes on a man in a relationship and seducing him. “This is a true story about all the lies / you fantasize / ‘bout you and I” she sings on “true story.” Both of these tracks are highlights on the album as Grande embraces a ‘90s R&B sound that makes this “other woman” caricature all the more convincing.
“we can’t be friends (wait for your love)” serves as the second single of the album. The music video borrows heavily from the movie as Grande is seen undergoing a medical procedure to erase all her memories with a past partner, played by Evan Peters. Lyric-wise, Grande is brutally open as she details the pain of moving on from a partner she is still in love with but knows will never love her back. These sentiments spill into the following track “i wish i hated you” as well, where she sings “I wish you were worse to me / yeah, I wish I hated you.”
The last two tracks refocus again on Grande’s new relationship. In “imperfect for you,” Grande acknowledges all of the emotional baggage she would be bringing to a new relationship. “ordinary things” is one of the more trap-influenced songs on the album in which the singer once again returns to the honeymoon phase of her current relationship as she expresses that “there’s never gonna be an ordinary thing / as long as I’m with you.” The song (and album) ends with a voice note from Grande’s grandmother, Nonna, offering some relationship advice. “It’s not that we never fought. You can overcome that you know,” she says, “Never go to bed without kissing goodnight.” Essentially, the album ends with an answer to all of the questions and uncertainty about her relationship that Grande was asking in the first track.
Overall, “eternal sunshine” did not just live up to its expectations, it demolished them. Through its impeccable production, seamless genre and style blending and remarkably cohesive storytelling, Ariana Grande’s seventh album is truly a treat to listen to. Whether you are a childhood fan or one of her many internet haters, the album is worth a listen and leaves no stone unturned.
