Ariana Grande has released her seventh album, Eternal Sunshine which perfectly capitulates the journey of a break-up and the stages of grief.
It’s been nearly four years since Positions was released which highlighted that sensual honeymoon stage of love, whereas Eternal Sunshine shows the end of a relationship and the urge to hold onto the memories.
With a range of genres from disco to pop to R&B, this album is a breath of fresh air into the charts as Ariana’s storytelling shines through with her angelic harmonies and raw lyrics.
The album starts with a question in the heavenly track ‘Intro (end of the world)’ asking, “How can I tell if I'm in the right relationship?”, highlighting that initial doubt of the future of a relationship creeping in.
Although it may be shorter in comparison to the versatility of her longer albums like Thank U Next, something Eternal Sunshine offers is cohesiveness. ‘Eternal Sunshine’ is influenced by the 2004 film Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind in which two people erase their memories of each other to cope with the devastation of their breakup.
Ariana reflects on this feeling in the fan favourite song ‘We Can’t Be Friends’ and the title track ‘Eternal Sunshine’ which features a sample of astrologer Diana Garland.
She speaks on why 29 is an important age to “Wake up! It’s time for you to get real about life and sort out who you really are.” Ariana reflects on this feeling of wanting to hold onto the relationship and the memories, just like in the movie. Where Joel and Clementine try to hide from their memories being erased and can’t accept the reality that things are over. Ariana herself is reflecting on the end of an era and her 20s.
Ariana’s life has been highly publicised following her divorce from Dalton Gomez and controversial relationship with Wicked co-star Ethan Slater, but she clapped back at these rumours with her first single “Yes, and?”.
The album ends with a speech from Ariana’s Nonna, who sums up how simple love is when you’ve found the right person. Ariana’s initial question is answered as Nonna says that if you go to bed angry and don’t feel comfortable kissing them every night then “you’re in the wrong place, get out.”
Overall, Ariana has shown again her talent and vulnerability and created another masterpiece that will for sure be on repeat.
Edited by Anna Cao