Ariana Grande, you know the name, you probably know the face, the Nickelodeon star turned pop diva superstar has been one of the biggest hitmakers of the 2010s so far. With a bevy of Top 10 hits spread across her three albums “Yours Truly,” “My Everything,” and “Dangerous Woman,” Ariana has been one of the business’s biggest, and her voice is pretty distinguishable in the field today. She’s also proven to be a figure that can overcome adversity (from the doughnut-licking scandal that people still try to knock her for to her show of love in organizing the “One Love Manchester” event last year) and stand tall as an empowering feminist figure. She’s an artist I’ve always had love for, but I haven’t gotten to listen to any of her albums entirely, so I figured that with her new record “Sweetener” on the horizon, why not fix that? So, let’s go!
Honeymoon Avenue: The opener to the album, apparently this one originally had an Amy Winehouse vibe to it, but the version included on the album is actually a “remix,” oddly enough. Either way, the album version has something of a Justin Timberlake vibe to it instead, as Ariana sings about wanting to go back to the beginning of a relationship that she had, instead of being at the sad ending they are currently at. The very bright instrumentals are beautiful, and Ariana’s vocals are very pretty (apparently she sang this song with a skull & lung infection, and while I can very slightly hear it, she still sounds amazing). I didn’t really dig the hook on this one at first, but it really grew on me with repeat listens. A great opener to the album.
Baby I: The second single that Ariana released from this album, I actually wasn’t that crazy about it when it first came out. It took a few listens for me to really dig it. This track hearkens back to 90s R&B with a few disco vibes here and there, as Ariana talks about how she loves someone so much, but just can’t properly explain it. It’s still one of my favorite cuts from the record, with its infectious hook, bouncy feel, and catchy beat, and I think that, even for an older Ariana cut, it holds up pretty well today. Will it go down as one of my favorite cuts from her? Maybe not, but it still remains an energetic and enjoyable cut five years after its initial release.
Right There (ft. Big Sean): A song featuring Ariana’s now ex-boyfriend Big Sean, Ariana’s described this one as “kind of like the sequel to ’The Way,’” and you can hear that in a few subtle ways, from the way it opens to the way Big Sean’s verses are placed in the song. Still, though, Ariana’s vocal flow is really interesting here, and her vocals are still gorgeous here against the click-clack percussion and sweet synths. And even though I’m not a Big Sean fan, I do think his verses on this one are pretty solid, and they add an extra layer of fun to what is already a pretty strong cut.
Tattooed Heart: Like “Honeymoon Avenue,” Ariana recorded this song with her skull & lung infection, but that doesn’t do anything bad to her vocals. On this track, there’s more of a slow-jam, doo-wop vibe, as Ariana sings about wanting to leave a permanent impression on her lover over some very smooth keys and a slow, snappy drum beat. In a way, this feels a little like an interlude, but it’s a really interesting and very different track than the previous ones, and I can appreciate that, much like how many of the songs on here take on a 90s R&B-inspired feel, this feels like a bit of a throwback and a really good one at that!
Lovin’ It: With this one, Ariana takes the throwback feel to a whole new level. I got some Britney Spears vibes, some Beyoncé vibes (at one point, I thought she interpolated “Irreplaceable”), and even more. What also contributes to that is that she samples “Real Love” by Mary J. Blige, which adds to that feeling of “throwbacks.” I love that feel that the song has, Ariana’s vocals are great and the beat is fantastic, but unfortunately, I think the song is held back by what I think is one of the clumsier hooks on the record. I was really digging everything about it until we got to that “nothing but loving you, nothing but loving you, baby” chorus. Maybe a few more listens might help, but all in all, that hook definitely hurt the song a bit.
Piano: Here’s a track that doesn’t really get a lot of talk that I still love! This non-single cut sees Ariana talking about how she could make a somber ballad with her new piano about a failed romance, or she could make a more poppy, danceable song that can be played on the radio. Trust me when I say she definitely goes to both extremes on this album, but this one turns into the latter: more poppy, vibrant and danceable (just without the radio part because this wasn’t a single). I love Ariana’s vocals on this cut, and I think she really sells this very exciting, sticky hook, and the production is very strong, even using pianos to help sell something more poppy. I know that goes a bit against what the song is saying and all, but she makes it work, and it’s a pretty great track!
Daydreamin’: Taking things back to the whole “doo-wop” feel that we saw earlier on “Tattooed Heart,” Ariana talks about how her love for someone is so strong that it leaves her daydreaming about them. It once again feels like a little bit of a slow-jam, and it’s got some really luscious piano chords and heavenly vocals from Ariana. And even though it has that slow-jam feel to it, the beat is still energetic and exciting, and it meshes well with the bright keys and upbeat feel of the song. I also think it’s very sweet that, at the tail-end of the song, Ariana included an audio clip of her grandparents talking about how they fell in love. I know from her social media posts that Ariana has a close connection with her family, so it’s sweet that she did that, and it helps round out a very sweet song.
The Way (ft. Mac Miller): Ariana’s first big single, this one features her now ex-boyfriend Mac Miller as they essentially play “call-and-response” to discuss their extreme love for their respective partners (I say “respective partners” since they weren’t dating at the time). Once again, the song takes on something of a 90s R&B-inspired feel, with some very bouncy beats and gorgeous piano melodies. Ariana’s vocals are stunning, as she is given all the room to explore her vocal range and show off the power in her voice, and the hook is also quite sticky as well. Mac Miller’s verses also feature some relatively sweet bars, and he helps round out a very good first single for Ariana.
You’ll Never Know: Let me tell you, I haven’t heard this song in years, and getting to hear it again after so long is just refreshing! I so wish it was released as a single, it’s definitely one of the bests on the album. Another prime piece of 90s R&B/pop fusion, Ariana sings on this cut about a boy who wasn’t good enough for her because he just couldn’t tell her how he really felt about her, and she sings over some excellent production consisting of very dreamy, gorgeous synths and a vibrant beat. Her vocals are fantastic as usual, and the song also has one of the most sticky and memorable hooks on the entire record. I’m so glad I got to hear this again, it’s excellent!
Almost Is Never Enough (ft. Nathan Sykes): Remember how I said with “Piano” that Ariana would tackle both extremes on this album? You know, the ballad side and the poppy side? Well, here we are with that ballad! This one sees Ariana collaborating with Nathan Sykes of The Wanted (you may remember them for the song “Glad You Came”) on a single that actually made it onto the soundtrack for a film called “The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones” that came out in 2013 (remember that movie? No? Don’t worry, not many people do, apparently). The song’s light piano melody allows for Ariana and Nathan to really let their vocal chops sell the song, and sell, it does. They both sound gorgeous singing about a relationship that just didn’t get the effort it needed to push forward, and it makes for one of the best tracks on the album.
Popular Song (MIKA ft. Ariana Grande): Technically, this isn’t Ariana’s own song, it’s a collaboration that she did with Lebanese-British singer MIKA that is something of an updated version of the song “Popular” from the musical “Wicked,” and it serves as something of an anti-bullying anthem. Nice message to have, for sure, and both Ariana and MIKA show some great vocal interplay over a very snappy, ecstatic beat and some really head-noddy guitars. The hook is also guaranteed to be stuck in my head for all the right reasons. Great track!
Right There (ft. Big Sean): A song featuring Ariana’s now ex-boyfriend Big Sean, Ariana’s described this one as “kind of like the sequel to ’The Way,’” and you can hear that in a few subtle ways, from the way it opens to the way Big Sean’s verses are placed in the song. Still, though, Ariana’s vocal flow is really interesting here, and her vocals are still gorgeous here against the click-clack percussion and sweet synths. And even though I’m not a Big Sean fan, I do think his verses on this one are pretty solid, and they add an extra layer of fun to what is already a pretty strong cut.
Tattooed Heart: Like “Honeymoon Avenue,” Ariana recorded this song with her skull & lung infection, but that doesn’t do anything bad to her vocals. On this track, there’s more of a slow-jam, doo-wop vibe, as Ariana sings about wanting to leave a permanent impression on her lover over some very smooth keys and a slow, snappy drum beat. In a way, this feels a little like an interlude, but it’s a really interesting and very different track than the previous ones, and I can appreciate that, much like how many of the songs on here take on a 90s R&B-inspired feel, this feels like a bit of a throwback and a really good one at that!
Lovin’ It: With this one, Ariana takes the throwback feel to a whole new level. I got some Britney Spears vibes, some Beyoncé vibes (at one point, I thought she interpolated “Irreplaceable”), and even more. What also contributes to that is that she samples “Real Love” by Mary J. Blige, which adds to that feeling of “throwbacks.” I love that feel that the song has, Ariana’s vocals are great and the beat is fantastic, but unfortunately, I think the song is held back by what I think is one of the clumsier hooks on the record. I was really digging everything about it until we got to that “nothing but loving you, nothing but loving you, baby” chorus. Maybe a few more listens might help, but all in all, that hook definitely hurt the song a bit.
Piano: Here’s a track that doesn’t really get a lot of talk that I still love! This non-single cut sees Ariana talking about how she could make a somber ballad with her new piano about a failed romance, or she could make a more poppy, danceable song that can be played on the radio. Trust me when I say she definitely goes to both extremes on this album, but this one turns into the latter: more poppy, vibrant and danceable (just without the radio part because this wasn’t a single). I love Ariana’s vocals on this cut, and I think she really sells this very exciting, sticky hook, and the production is very strong, even using pianos to help sell something more poppy. I know that goes a bit against what the song is saying and all, but she makes it work, and it’s a pretty great track!
Daydreamin’: Taking things back to the whole “doo-wop” feel that we saw earlier on “Tattooed Heart,” Ariana talks about how her love for someone is so strong that it leaves her daydreaming about them. It once again feels like a little bit of a slow-jam, and it’s got some really luscious piano chords and heavenly vocals from Ariana. And even though it has that slow-jam feel to it, the beat is still energetic and exciting, and it meshes well with the bright keys and upbeat feel of the song. I also think it’s very sweet that, at the tail-end of the song, Ariana included an audio clip of her grandparents talking about how they fell in love. I know from her social media posts that Ariana has a close connection with her family, so it’s sweet that she did that, and it helps round out a very sweet song.
The Way (ft. Mac Miller): Ariana’s first big single, this one features her now ex-boyfriend Mac Miller as they essentially play “call-and-response” to discuss their extreme love for their respective partners (I say “respective partners” since they weren’t dating at the time). Once again, the song takes on something of a 90s R&B-inspired feel, with some very bouncy beats and gorgeous piano melodies. Ariana’s vocals are stunning, as she is given all the room to explore her vocal range and show off the power in her voice, and the hook is also quite sticky as well. Mac Miller’s verses also feature some relatively sweet bars, and he helps round out a very good first single for Ariana.
You’ll Never Know: Let me tell you, I haven’t heard this song in years, and getting to hear it again after so long is just refreshing! I so wish it was released as a single, it’s definitely one of the bests on the album. Another prime piece of 90s R&B/pop fusion, Ariana sings on this cut about a boy who wasn’t good enough for her because he just couldn’t tell her how he really felt about her, and she sings over some excellent production consisting of very dreamy, gorgeous synths and a vibrant beat. Her vocals are fantastic as usual, and the song also has one of the most sticky and memorable hooks on the entire record. I’m so glad I got to hear this again, it’s excellent!
Almost Is Never Enough (ft. Nathan Sykes): Remember how I said with “Piano” that Ariana would tackle both extremes on this album? You know, the ballad side and the poppy side? Well, here we are with that ballad! This one sees Ariana collaborating with Nathan Sykes of The Wanted (you may remember them for the song “Glad You Came”) on a single that actually made it onto the soundtrack for a film called “The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones” that came out in 2013 (remember that movie? No? Don’t worry, not many people do, apparently). The song’s light piano melody allows for Ariana and Nathan to really let their vocal chops sell the song, and sell, it does. They both sound gorgeous singing about a relationship that just didn’t get the effort it needed to push forward, and it makes for one of the best tracks on the album.
Popular Song (MIKA ft. Ariana Grande): Technically, this isn’t Ariana’s own song, it’s a collaboration that she did with Lebanese-British singer MIKA that is something of an updated version of the song “Popular” from the musical “Wicked,” and it serves as something of an anti-bullying anthem. Nice message to have, for sure, and both Ariana and MIKA show some great vocal interplay over a very snappy, ecstatic beat and some really head-noddy guitars. The hook is also guaranteed to be stuck in my head for all the right reasons. Great track!
Better Left Unsaid: Finishing off the album, Ariana tries her hand at a little bit of electropop and dance music here to…unfortunately weaker results. Ariana’s vocals are beautiful as always, as she sings about leaving things unsaid and just living in the moment, but unfortunately, the electronic production just feels rather uninspired and lackluster. Maybe it’s because I’ve been burned by a lot of electronic songs like this, but I found that the instrumentals were just too purging and monotonous to sit through. Part of me wishes that Ariana chose to end off the album with “Popular Song” instead, to be honest, because this is definitely one of the weakest cuts on the album.
Overall, despite that final song being less than stellar, Ariana Grande’s debut album still holds up beautifully to this day. Ariana’s vocals, which received a lot of Mariah Carey comparisons, are gorgeous and her range is strong, but what makes the album really work is that not only does Ariana show off her vocal chops really well, but she has a strong ear for infectious, throwback-styled production. It’s clear that she wasn’t trying to settle for something that sounds “factory-produced” and “bubblegum” that played more to her Nickelodeon origins, she actually wanted to make a mature album that appreciates the style of music that she grew up on, and it works. Even on some of the weaker cuts here, Ariana’s appreciation for 90s/early 2000s R&B and pop music shines through, and it makes the album a resounding success that’s definitely worth listening to even after five years and plenty of new music.
Up next is Ariana’s sophomore album “My Everything.” Let’s see if it continues this album’s success, or takes a step backward.
Favorite tracks: Honeymoon Avenue*, Baby I, Right There, Tattooed Heart, Piano, Daydreamin’, The Way, You’ll Never Know, Almost Is Never Enough, Popular Song
Least favorite tracks: Lovin’ It, Better Left Unsaid
Rating: Excellent
Overall, despite that final song being less than stellar, Ariana Grande’s debut album still holds up beautifully to this day. Ariana’s vocals, which received a lot of Mariah Carey comparisons, are gorgeous and her range is strong, but what makes the album really work is that not only does Ariana show off her vocal chops really well, but she has a strong ear for infectious, throwback-styled production. It’s clear that she wasn’t trying to settle for something that sounds “factory-produced” and “bubblegum” that played more to her Nickelodeon origins, she actually wanted to make a mature album that appreciates the style of music that she grew up on, and it works. Even on some of the weaker cuts here, Ariana’s appreciation for 90s/early 2000s R&B and pop music shines through, and it makes the album a resounding success that’s definitely worth listening to even after five years and plenty of new music.
Up next is Ariana’s sophomore album “My Everything.” Let’s see if it continues this album’s success, or takes a step backward.
Favorite tracks: Honeymoon Avenue*, Baby I, Right There, Tattooed Heart, Piano, Daydreamin’, The Way, You’ll Never Know, Almost Is Never Enough, Popular Song
Least favorite tracks: Lovin’ It, Better Left Unsaid
Rating: Excellent
(*An asterisk next to a “favorite track” indicates that the track wasn’t initially one of my “favorite tracks” when I first wrote the review. If a track has an asterisk next to it, it means the song wasn’t initially a favorite of mine, but it grew on me, and the text for the song may have been edited to more properly reflect that.)
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