There is no question that Ariana Grande’s name has been in many of the top celebrity headlines in the past year or two. A lot of this talk is due to her transition from a Nickelodeon actor to a world-famous pop artist as well as her much-discussed personal life and the release of her new album, “thank u, next.” The album was released on Feb. 8, but three singles were dropped prior to release, fueling the anticipation of fans.
The first single to drop, “thank u, next” is about Grande’s experiences with her exes and how she is becoming a more independent woman thanks to her experiences with them. This upbeat song carries a sense of empowerment coupled with a catchy beat to back it up. The release of this single was followed shortly by the songs “imagine” and “7 rings.”
Now, with the full album released, listeners can judge what could be Grande’s most popular album to date as a whole. Each song on the album has its own individual meaning and lesson. One example, “fake smile,” discusses the importance of expressing your emotions and being honest about how you feel. Of the 12 songs on the album, this is my favorite because it discusses mental health in an open and honest way.
“NASA” is another empowering song that cleverly uses a space theme to get its message of independence across. The song starts off with the sound of a man breathing in a space suit saying, “This is one small step for woman, one giant leap for womankind,” alluding to the original moon landing quote. This provides the listener with the idea that while the past was a time for men, this is a time for women, adding to the list of meanings behind the album.
The major downfall of this album is because many of the songs are so upbeat, they start to sound the same, especially during choruses. Even so, Grande has enough of a variety for it to still be enjoyable to me as a listener. Apart from the similar sound throughout the album, I thoroughly enjoyed the it in its entirety because it brings up relevant progressive topics with an upbeat, positive sound, as well as providing the listener with a sense of female empowerment.
