On March 8, 2024, Ariana Grande released her seventh studio album, “eternal sunshine.” Her most anticipated album yet, many awaited its release with skeptical eyes, piqued by her recent divorce and resurfaced relationship scandals. “eternal sunshine” contemplates and provokes personal introspection, with its resplendent and attractive collection of emotional breakthroughs. The album seamlessly blends into a storyline of her old and new loves. It asserts itself as a graceful artistic rebuttal to the public’s distaste for her newfound relationship. It offers a glimpse of the melancholic, wistful, blissful, uncomfortable and exhilarating love experiences.
“intro (end of the world)” opens the album with an intimate confession of the fleeting grasp of Grande’s marriage. The lyrics admit uncertainty about how she feels about her relationship and if its sustenance is genuinely meant for her. Dreamy synthesizers and stringed instruments accompany her soft harmonies and elicit an overall healing, plaintive sensation in the ears. Ensuing the intro is “bye”. “bye” tastefully introduces Grande’s voice as she quietly professes her goodbye to her past relationship, as if hesitant to proclaim her last farewell publicly. The song then transitions to a charming, striking melody with confident beats, mirroring her conviction in letting her past relationship go. Her effortlessly sweet vocal blending sparkles the song with loving tones of self-assurance and protection.
Other standouts include the title track “eternal sunshine”, a solemn ballad mourning the shattered vulnerability she shared with her ex-husband due to his unfaithful actions. She refers to her ex-husband as her “eternal sunshine”, an allusion and homage to the movie “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind”, indicating that she wishes to forget their relationship altogether rather than bear with her lingering pain. Its atmospheric soundscape of reverent, enchanting piano instrumentals accompanied with Grande’s tender deliverance of such intimate lyrics take listeners on a soulful experience of loss. “the boy is mine” is another luminous track possessing an irresistible melody that coats the ear in honey, embodying the seductive, taboo aspects of her new relationship with her co-star. “we can’t be friends (wait for your love)” is a mesmerizing, reflective song wishing the best for her past lovers. It can also be interpreted as Grande patiently waiting until the music industry accepts her as a flawed human being and ceases their endless scrutinization of her character. This melody resembles many other pop songs, but Grande’s incorporation of her distinctive euphonious vocals compensates for its generic quality. The spirited, euphoric outro with faint trumpet harmonies enriches the track’s brilliance as well. “ordinary things” is the last track on the album, with an overture of a classic, trombone-like melody and unique, experimental beats. Grande’s signature airy voice and the song’s hypnotic production provide a sensational listening experience.
One lacking aspect of this album was the restraint of Grande’s vocal prowess. Its perceptible lack of high notes and the use of Grande’s voice as a vocal instrument differs from her previous studio albums, such as “Positions” and “Sweetener.” Nonetheless, “eternal sunshine” unveils to listeners a lush but ephemeral experience of Grande’s emotional journey. Grande gently reminds listeners that there are intricate complexities within every human relationship and that media distortions will never truly encapsulate the sincere truth regarding celebrities. “eternal sunshine” may not be Grande’s most sophisticated album production-wise. Still, the transparency in her evocative lyrics marks a remarkable milestone for the artist.
