by izzy petraglia
After a four-year long musical-hiatus, Ariana Grande has marked her return with some of her most vulnerable and thoughtful work yet in eternal sunshine. Referencing the 2004 film Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, the singer’s first concept album addresses feelings of longing from the end of one relationship, to the wide-eyed hopefulness carried into a new one. Despite being her shortest album to date, it accomplishes and conveys everything it needs to within its 35 minute runtime.
The album is a seamless blend between pop and R&B, with hints of disco and house. The lyrics are what makes the album truly shine to me — she executed her feelings and experiences in a way that feels both personal and relatable to listeners. As a longtime fan of Grande, I found the lyrics in these songs to be some of her most raw and unguarded in her discography. They depict the journey of healing a broken heart, and the self reflection and rediscovery that comes with that before/while exploring something new.
Everything from the album’s lyricism, sequencing, and visual aesthetics make this her most carefully thought-out body of work. It tells a story and maps out the thoughts and emotions Ariana was experiencing, almost in chronological order, starting off strong with “intro (end of the world).” I love that she placed her questions and doubts that foreshadowed the ending of her relationship at the album’s start, and answered all her own questions within its progression.
During an interview with Zach Sang, Grande revealed that The Beatles’ Rubber Soul had a huge influence on her while writing eternal sunshine. This is depicted especially within the rhythmic similarities between “imperfect for you” and “Norwegian Wood.” Ariana also drew inspiration from notable R&B artists such as Brandy and Monica — specifically with her rendition of “the boy is mine.” “eternal sunshine” also pays homage to early 2000s pop hits, where its pre-chorus has noticeable similarities to Justin Timberlake’s “Cry Me A River.”
My personal favorites had to be “eternal sunshine,” “don’t wanna break up again,” and “we can’t be friends (wait for your love).” I love any song that has the contrast of gut-wrenching lyrics yet I still feel like I can get up and dance. All three of these songs have that in common, therefore they were the obvious choices for me.
If eternal sunshine proved anything, it's that Ariana’s presence in pop music was deeply missed. This album quickly climbed into my top three albums within her discography and was well-worth the wait since she released Positions in 2020. Despite being three months into 2024, eternal sunshine is already solidified as one of my favorite releases this year.