It has been almost four years since Ariana Grande released her sixth studio album Positions. Grande is finding her light again on ‘eternal sunshine.’
‘eternal sunshine’ rises with the sound of crackling vinyl and the symphonic strings of “intro (end of the world).” This prelude wonders, “And if it all ended tomorrow, Would I be the one on your mind?”
The next 12 tracks follow Grande as she attempts to answer that question. As the album orbits through the empowering “bye” into the bold “supernatural,” Grande becomes more self assured.
As that self confidence begins to settle in, a very apparent transition in the sounds and the lyrics happens on track 4. “Saturn Returns Interlude” opens with a short sample from Intuitive-Astrological Counsellor Diana Garland’s YouTube video, “Why 29 Years Old Is An Important Age.” The zodiacal clip, discusses the transitions that happen in your late 20’s, and the tough decisions that people are faced with in that pivotal year.
For Grande, one of those decisions was choosing to move on and make peace with the end of a relationship, as heard in track 5, the title track.
Unlike her previous albums, Grande has also made the decision to step into the role of producer on ‘eternal sunshine.’ The move gave Grande the opportunity to put herself into not just the words, but the sound. Grande experiments with Madonna-esque beats on “yes, and?,” Imogen Heap inspired harmonies on “wish i hated you,” and a Robyn-style melody on “we can’t be friends.”
Grande brings the album full circle with the wise words of her Nonna, whose voice is featured on the final song, “ordinary things.” Nonna reminisces on what it was like to love late husband and Grande’s maternal grandfather, Frank Grande. “It was like seeing daylight,” she says.
The entire project serves as a time capsule of Ariana Grande’s 29th year around the sun, and is a radiant reflection of authentic and unapologetic self-discovery.
Featured Photo Credit: Katia Temkin