Cool Album Out Now: Ariana Grande - thank you, next
In an unexpected turn of events, I am going to discuss the new Ariana Grande album for this blog! I know, the same blog that has reviewed Nine Inch Nails and Stephen Malkmus is now going into pop, so I will confirm with relatively absolute certainty that thank you, next is really that good. Check out below to be shocked and appalled:
Instantly notable on thank you, next is its connection to 2018's Sweetener. This new release, following its predecessor by just a few months, resonates the same tragedy that highlighted the need for healing and reflection, but with the added weight of ex-boyfriend Mac Miller's passing. The darkness comes heavier than ever with "ghostin," giving explicit references to Miller's memory and presence in her thoughts after his death. But if Sweetener is the album of healing, then thank you, next would have to be the album of being healed. The opportunity to musically explore emotion so viscerally is rarely taken, but Grande has seized her chance here to demonstrate her entire being, resulting in her most connected and universally appealing album to date.
Musically, this record maintains the typically consistent level of quality present in the majority of her back catalog. She relies on top-notch pop producers combining the vast scope of modern R&B with a dab of popular traits like trap beats and strong bass presence. Instead of drastically altering her sound to fit her current state of mind, she lets the surrounding popular trends influence and interact with her favorite styles, giving her various lyrical topics an unusual cohesion. Ultimately, this is still a pop album; Grande does not need to let the darkness consume her to have her sentiment be heard. Both clichés of heartbreak and heavy confessionals suit her well, knowing that her extremely public persona as a pop star will fill in the gaps left in the music.
The best parts of thank you, next end up not being the sad, but instead the most exuberant and empowering - perhaps the most unusual and unique aspect of the album. The now meme-status "thank you, next" shows both power and reverence in moving on with her life, a strong and difficult stance in the wake of online hate towards Grande. "7 rings" brings the trap beat on strong and shamelessly rips off "My Favorite Things" to demonstrate the consumerist coping method, and "bloodline" turns a song about a casual relationship into a bold statement. The numerous inconsistencies never feel scattered or unintentional, channeling the truly strong voice of Grande for perhaps the first time (at least, it is the most effective and important time).
Instantly notable on thank you, next is its connection to 2018's Sweetener. This new release, following its predecessor by just a few months, resonates the same tragedy that highlighted the need for healing and reflection, but with the added weight of ex-boyfriend Mac Miller's passing. The darkness comes heavier than ever with "ghostin," giving explicit references to Miller's memory and presence in her thoughts after his death. But if Sweetener is the album of healing, then thank you, next would have to be the album of being healed. The opportunity to musically explore emotion so viscerally is rarely taken, but Grande has seized her chance here to demonstrate her entire being, resulting in her most connected and universally appealing album to date.
Musically, this record maintains the typically consistent level of quality present in the majority of her back catalog. She relies on top-notch pop producers combining the vast scope of modern R&B with a dab of popular traits like trap beats and strong bass presence. Instead of drastically altering her sound to fit her current state of mind, she lets the surrounding popular trends influence and interact with her favorite styles, giving her various lyrical topics an unusual cohesion. Ultimately, this is still a pop album; Grande does not need to let the darkness consume her to have her sentiment be heard. Both clichés of heartbreak and heavy confessionals suit her well, knowing that her extremely public persona as a pop star will fill in the gaps left in the music.
The best parts of thank you, next end up not being the sad, but instead the most exuberant and empowering - perhaps the most unusual and unique aspect of the album. The now meme-status "thank you, next" shows both power and reverence in moving on with her life, a strong and difficult stance in the wake of online hate towards Grande. "7 rings" brings the trap beat on strong and shamelessly rips off "My Favorite Things" to demonstrate the consumerist coping method, and "bloodline" turns a song about a casual relationship into a bold statement. The numerous inconsistencies never feel scattered or unintentional, channeling the truly strong voice of Grande for perhaps the first time (at least, it is the most effective and important time).
The Verdict:
Ariana Grande uses thank you, next as a vehicle for her swift recovery following a personal tragedy, strikingly similar in approach to the "I'm alright" attitude of Mac Miller's final album Swimming. The difference with Grande is that she clearly knows what she wants and how to take it, whether that's peace in the wake of death or pop superstardom. Grande has survived the hardships surrounding her to produce her best album yet, and we can only hope that she keeps diving into her own strengths and power with future releases.
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