Sigh.
Ariana Grande recently released her fifth album, thank u, next, which really got cranked out after Sweetener in August of 2018. After breaking everyone's speakers (and patience) with her singles thank u, next, 7 rings and imagine, she popped out ANOTHER album for us to bop to.
But are we all bopping?
I've expected a lot out of Ariana -- this has been the best year for her career, and she's somehow basically forced everybody to care about her; I've always been a moderate fan and play her music sometimes, but once she started blasting God is a Woman everywhere and was spotted with Pete Davidson, I kinda had to care. Before this era of Grande, maybe I thought/heard about her once every two weeks. Pretty surprising. Now, however, it is everyday. No one can escape Grande.
And up until this new album, I haven't minded that! Bring on the vocals! Bring on the empowering female music! Make me strut around campus feeling all goddess like! But, alas, all good things must come to an end. This new album, was my breaking point.
Just to get this out of the way, break up with your girlfriend, i'm bored is just so great and ethically questionable but sUCH A BOP so I am excluding this one song out of my discussion. Also, clearly her singles released before the album all did well for a reason -- so buwygib, thank u, next, 7 rings and imagine can chill. I'm not saying they're AMAZING but they're nice and well-done songs, so ok Ariana.
But four songs can't carry a twelve song album (Zayn you should be listening to this Mr. I-Put-27-Songs-on-One-Album). As much as I try, thank u, next just is not it. I really have tried to listen through this and give it a chance.
I *like* NASA, bloodline, and mayyyybbbe bad idea. Sometimes they get stuck in my head. But also, that song Low Rider from the George Lopez show gets stuck in my head. Sometimes, I get vines stuck in my head. So I don't really think that a song being catchy saves it from my hammer of wrath.
In general, I feel like we're all kinda forcing this album to be a bop. A good amount of my friends are "obsessed" with the album, but I think that may be because we don't really want to admit that Ariana let us down. If you *DO* enjoy the album fr, then NICE. Keep on listening. I'm not here to music-shame you.
I'm just commenting that this feels like a slow-paced album -- not like the songs are slow and sad, but I just feel like it's a weird fever dream listening through the album. The lyrics are nice, but I feel like the songs all sound the same. Maybe that's what Ariana wanted. I do not know. Her previous albums (ehhh ignore Sweetener) all were dynamic; while I didn't love every song, they were distinct and different things were happening if that makes sense. With thank u, next, everything blends together. Not in a good way.
Once again, maybe this is what Ariana wanted. I get it. But I miss the big vocals, the power behind her voice, all that. I don't need it on every single song, but I also DO NOT need similar sounding songs with her over and over saying "yuh" (bruh please give me mercy).
Some do argue that Sweetener was the ultimate flop, but I'd disagree -- yes, it was an awkward transition into something different, but I still got to experience more of her vocal range. I'm just kinda missing it. Idk man. Just not bopping as much as I wanted to.
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