Rocketing straight onto the Billboard 100, Eternal Sunshine has marked many milestones for Ariana Grande. Her pen is sharper than ever and her voice never fails to shock with her four-octave range.
Eternal Sunshine clocks in at around 35 minutes, which is relatively short for an album. The album cover diverted from any aesthetics Grande has had in the past, with its soft golden hour-like lighting and a view of what seems to be Grande leaning her head on the shoulder of herself. This is very symbolic for her being independent, which is a common theme in this album.
The first and last tracks of the album stood out to me just by looking at the track list. “intro (end of the world)” and “ordinary things (ft. Nonna)” compliment each other beautifully. “intro (end of the world)” is the beginning to a masterfully told story that tells the tale of Grande’s struggles and doubts in her relationships both personally and within the media, all the way to her being secure in who she is and not letting her experiences define her.
“ordinary things (ft. Nonna)” is about her finding meaning in her relationship. It ends with a voice recording of her grandmother, Nonna, talking about her own husband and the struggles they face. The track ultimately ends with Nonna saying “And if you can’t and you don’t feel comfortable doing it, you’re in the wrong place. Get out.” This is relevant to what Grande has been facing in the recent news, between internet hate, affair rumors, and a divorce. Now that she’s finally confronting her feelings, she’s leaving for a better place.
R&B influences are present in this album, especially within the songs “true story,” “the boy is mine,” and “eternal sunshine.” Grande has repeatedly stated her love for this culture and sound, so it’s no surprise that it showed up in this album.
However, a pop princess will always return to her roots. In the tracks “supernatural” and “yes, and?”Grande pays tribute to her ability to perfectly execute a pop song. These tracks are bouncy and fun, and can be played in any energetic setting.
Grande’s vulnerability throughout this project really comes to a head in “we can’t be friends (wait for your love),” which, since the album’s release on March 8, has become a sensation. Grande directly addresses the media and their cruel portrayal of her, with vocals that display her honesty and sadness expertly. With lyrics such as ‘Know that you made me / I don’t like how you paint me, yet I’m still here hanging,” Grande mentions the character that Hollywood has seemingly created for her throughout her career, while still acknowledging that without those same critics and fans, she wouldn’t be where she is.
As someone who was only a casual Ariana Grande listener, this project has proven that Grande will always defy expectations and give her audience and fans something to savor.
