Yet again, the Grammy award-winning, high-ponytailed, pop icon Ariana Grande is back on the charts with her seventh studio album, “Eternal Sunshine,” released on March 8th. After shooting the stage-to-film movie adaptation of Stephen Schwarz’s Wicked, Grande returned to the studio, finally promoting something other than r.e.m. beauty, her makeup line.
On January 12th, Ariana Grande dropped the hit single “Yes, and?”, debuting at No.1 on the Billboard Hot 100. Despite the release teasing her fanbase of “Arianators” for nearly two months, it fiercely addressed the epidemic of rumors surrounding her name and provided relief after three years without new music.
Prior to the album’s release, Grande and her Wicked co-star Ethan Slater were seen in photos together– holding hands on set and going out to dinner, all while Slater was in a marital relationship. What brought fans the most alarm (and disgust) was the truth that Slater and wife Lilly Jay had a newborn son at home. Slater and his now ex-wife filed for divorce in late July of 2023, around the same time Ariana Grande was first spotted without her wedding ring, which is what initially stirred rumors.
Eventually, the pop star divorced her ex-husband Dalton Gomez in October, leaving Slater and Grande together for the winter. The relationship did not concern the larger crowd of the internet until an anonymous source came forward, addressing the couple’s romance on-set. Undeterred by the sea of critics, Grande released “Yes, and?”– a light, upbeat response to the rumors that have welled for about three years.
In the song’s second verse, Ariana sings the lyrics, “Now I’m so done with caring what you think, no, I won’t hide underneath your own projections or change my most authentic life,” stating she is unbothered by the media. Surprisingly, this song is the least centered on her past and current relationships on the album, as it focuses on self-love and perseverance in the most stylish way possible.
“I loved her execution of the song, and I think I love the album even more,” sophomore Zyra Rodriguez shares, her favorite song off the record being “the boy is mine.” The album has 13 songs that range from pop to R&B. As her signature sound, Grande leaves synth and dreamy-pop elements in all of her tracks, curating something authentically angelic.
“It gives off feathery vibes,” as senior Zoe Wilson describes it. “It’s so subtle and […] it talks about specific friendships and relationships,” she continued. The PPCHS student notes Grande’s third studio album, Dangerous Woman, as her favorite of her albums.
Covering the controversy of her newfound love in a melodious tone, Ariana has overcome her past criticism. Magazines like Rolling Stone have deemed her album as “the most mature album of her career” and even compared it to the Beatles’s Rubber Soul.
Eternal Sunshine has proven itself as another great album and is a testament to Ariana Grande’s growth as an artist. It showcases her prowess to create music that is not only catchy and enjoyable, but also deeply personal and introspective. As fans have been given this masterpiece, they are now left waiting on her musical performance in Wicked, releasing November 27th.
