'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Ariana Grande released her highly anticipated seventh studio album, Eternal Sunshine, last Friday, March 8. This album acts as a follow-up to her 2020 chart-topping album, Positions.
Eternal Sunshine is supposedly named after the 2004 Jim Carrey film Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, which is a romantic tragedy about a couple and their attempts to erase memories of each other after they break up.
Ariana initially stated, back in 2020, that she had no intention to release new music since she was busy working on her role for the upcoming live rendition of Wicked. However, the singer began teasing new music in late 2023 with a series of posts and captions on the official R.E.M. Beauty account as well as her personal artist account.
On January 7, Ariana teased the release of the album's lead single, Yes, and?, which hit streaming platforms on January 18, 2024. The singer also released over five remixed versions of the song, which included a feature from Mariah Carey.
Eternal Sunshine was released to DSPs (Digital Streaming Platforms) via Republic Records and UMG Recordings Inc. The physical copies (CD/Vinyl) of this album are currently available for purchase on Ariana Grande's official artist store.
A detailed breakdown of Ariana Grande's new album Eternal Sunshine
Eternal Sunshine is an album spanning 13 tracks with a runtime of a little over 30 minutes. The album finds Ariana highlighting many issues she's faced in relationships over the past few years, as well as taking shots at the media and critics.
Some of the major themes this album delves into are:
- Relationships
- Love
- Sex
- Pain
- Personal Connections
- Family
- Success
Disclaimer: This album review is rated explicit. Reader's discretion is advised.
Intro (end of the world)
(Production Credits: Shintaro Yasuda, Nick Lee, and Aaron Paris)
Intro (end of the world) is the opening track to Grande's seventh studio album and features the artist exploring her state of mind regarding the effects of time on a relationship.
The song finds her questioning the true intentions of her partner's love for her and finds Ariana getting more self-introspective towards the end of the song, best evidenced in lines like:
"And if it all ended tomorrow / Would I be the one on your mind, your mind, your mind? / And if it all ended tomorrow / Would you be the one on mine?"
Bye
(Production Credits: Max Martin and ILYA)
Bye finds Ariana reflecting on a failing relationship by highlighting her strength and ability to move on. She's also seen referencing her close friend, Courtney Chipolone, in the pre-chorus.
The song seems to bring forward Ariana's vulnerability and showcases a lot of her emotional maturity, making this song a definitive "break-up" song. Notable lines from Bye include:
"This ain't the first time I've been hostage to these tears / I can't believe I'm finally movin' through my fears / At least, I know how hard we tried, both you and me / Didn't we?"
Don't wanna break up again
(Production Credits: Max Martin and ILYA)
Don't wanna break up again opens with synth-infused production before a simple drum routine builds the opening verse, where Ariana can be seen highlighting how her lover no longer cares for her.
The chorus is the most catchy part of this song, where the singer cites how she wants to set her lover free from this relationship, but she just can't come to terms with the fact that she has to "break up again."
The following lines make up the entire chorus of the song and repeat three times before the song eventually ends:
"I don't wanna f*ck with your head / It's breakin' my heart (Breakin' my heart) / To keep breakin' yours again (Yours again, yours again, yours again) / This situationship has to end / But I just can't refuse I don't wanna break up again"
Saturn Returns Interlude
(Production Credits: Max Martin, ILYA, and Will Loftis)
Saturn Returns Interlude appears as the fourth track and acts as a connecting record to the song that follows. The entire interlude lasts less than a minute and features astrologist Diana Garland delivering a spoken word intro for a concept known as "Saturn's Return."
The concept basically implies that Saturn makes a round trip around Earth every 29 years, which is the age when one must "wake up" and take charge of their life. Some note-worthy lines from Diana's speech include:
"The Saturn cycle takes around about twenty-nine years / That's when we gotta wake up and smell the coffee / Saturn comes along and hits you over the head, and says, Wake up."
Eternal Sunshine
(Production Credits: Max Martin, Shintaro Yasuda, DaviDior, and ILYA)
Building on from Saturn Returns Interlude, the production begins to incorporate a trap beat aesthetic in Eternal Sunshine. The title track features thick bass drops and fast-paced hi-hats, with Ariana incorporating a rap-like flow into her delivery.
This song appears to draw serious inspiration from Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, when Ariana begins to allude to the movie's narrative being similar to the relationship she had with her ex-husband, Dalton Gomez.
The singer's desire to wipe her mind off this marriage is extremely clear in her second verse, where she states:
"So I try to wipe my mind / Just so I feel less insane / Rather feel painless / I'd rather forget than know"
Supernatural
(Production Credits: Max Martin and OZGO)
Supernatural opens as a low-tempo R&B track where Ariana appears to be referencing her current relationship with Wicked co-star Ethan Slater.
The singer is seen metaphorically citing how their love for each other is something celestial, hence the use of the term "supernatural." Some notable lines from this song are:
"It's like supernatural / This love's possessin' me, but I don't mind at all / It's like supernatural / It's takin' over me, don't wanna fight the fall"
True story
(Production Credits: Max Martin and ILYA)
True story is a song where Ariana Grande appears to be taking shots and calling out the negative perspectives that the media and internet create around her name. The production of the song is very close to an electronic pop-infused R&B-type beat.
The singer seems to highlight how people like to "fantasize" lying about her life while stating she's aware of the games being played by stating:
"This is a true story about all the lies / You fantasized (Fantasized) 'bout you and This is a true story about all the games / I know you play"
The boy is mine
(Production Credits: Max Martin, Shintaro Yasuda, DaviDior, and ILYA)
The boy is mine is one of the tracks on Eternal Sunshine where Ariana doesn't shy away from revealing her true intentions for the relationship she has with her partner.
From metaphorical references to the sexual relationship she shares with her partner to references to the media calling her a "home wrecker," which the singer addressed during an interview with Apple Music's Zane Lowe. A few interesting lines from this song include:
"The boy is mine / I can't wait to try him / Le-let's get intertwined / The stars, they aligned"
Yes, and?
(Production Credits: Max Martin and ILYA)
The lead single and ninth track on Ariana Grande's latest studio album is Yes, and?. This song's production is supposedly inspired by Madonna's 1990 single Vogue, while the music video has several references to Paula Abdul's fashion style.
The song is a direct shot at the media for constantly insulting and accusing the singer of deeds she claims were never committed. A few interesting lines noticed in Ariana's taunting lyricism regarding her relationship and appearance include:
"My face is sitting, I don't need no disguise (I don't need no disguise) / Don't comment on my body, do not reply / Your business is yours and mine is mine / Why do you care so much whose di*k I ride?"
We can't be friends (wait for your love)
(Production Credits: Max Martin and ILYA)
We can't be friends is a record that incorporates Euro-pop elements into a production that finds Ariana Grande reminiscing about a failed relationship.
The lyrics touch on aspects of pain and sorrow that come attached to the loss of a close relationship, while also accepting the idea of being blissfully ignorant as extremely enticing. A few standout lines from this track include:
"We can't be friends / But I'd like to just pretend / You cling to your papers and pens / Wait until you like me again"
I wish I hated you
(Production Credits: ILYA)
Track 11 on Eternal Sunshine is a pop ballad that creates a dreamy atmosphere given the spacy instrumentals and vocal performance.
I wish I hated you dives into the complexities and small intricacies that make up a romantic relationship, where Ariana can be seen stating that it doesn't need to be "anybody's" fault if a close connection between two people eventually fails. This can be best evidenced in the line:
"Our shadows dance in a parallel plane / Just two different endings, you learn to repair / And I learn to keep me in one place"
Imperfect for you
(Production Credits: Max Martin and ILYA)
The song, Imperfect for you, is a strong contender for the best track on this album as it doesn't just deliver exceptionally well sonically through its wavy production elements but also finds Ariana being more emotionally open and accepting of her mistakes.
She appears to be referencing a past romantic involvement where she cites she's "glad" the relationship didn't work out. Toward the end of the song, we see Ariana begin to accept the various flaws of a failing relationship when she states:
"I know we'll be there for each other when we're feeling / Fu*ked up, anxious, too much / But I'll love you like you need me to / Imperfect for you"
Ordinary things (Feat. Nonna)
(Production Credits: Nick Lee, Max Martin, and Luka Kloser)
The final track on Ariana Grande's album is Ordinary things, which finds the singer highlighting how most scenarios, whether mundane or luxurious, still feel special as long as she spends that moment with the person she loves.
Her Nonna (grandmother), Marjorie Grande, makes an appearance at the tail end of this song, where she's seen reflecting on her marriage and seemingly advising Ariana about her future relationships.
Interesting statements made in this song regarding the sanctity of a romantic relationship include:
"Never go to bed without kissin' goodnight / That's the worst thing to do, don't ever, ever do that / And if you can't, and if you don't feel comfortable doing it / You're in the wrong place, get out"
Ariana Grande's seventh studio album comes several months before her on-screen appearance as Glinda in the highly anticipated live rendition of Wicked. Universal has confirmed that the upcoming film will hit cinemas on November 27, 2024.
