Pop artist Ariana Grande released her 7th studio album “eternal sunshine” on March 8. The title of Grande’s album takes inspiration from the 2004 movie “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind,” a romantic comedy in which people can have unwanted memories erased as a form of therapy. This reference serves to represent her own empowerment following her divorce, upon the release on International Women’s Day.
Grande references the residual feelings and tortured thoughts that linger long after a breakup throughout the album, as she went through her public divorce resulting in many assumptions being made about her love life. Over a soft guitar strum and light, airy strings on “intro (end of the world),” she introduces the album’s central theme, her breakup, in which she questions her own marriage “How can I tell I’m in the right relationship?” composed of strings, morose guitar and lightly layered vocals. She announces her breakup moments later with the upbeat “bye,” heavily contrasting track 1’s uncertainty and hesitation within her love life, alongside the overall vibe as her profound vocals take on the bass-boosted backtrack. The song’s doubles back on itself with dislodged memories, anguish and recriminations on the following tracks.
The meta-narrative of the public and media as her fickle and unappreciative lovers is a subtext that runs throughout “eternal sunshine,” with her dance-pop “yes, and?” as the most full-throated clapback against public speculating on her love life. This lead single feels out of place with the overall album due to its electronic beats, contrasting the repetitive soft strings and soft vocals throughout the rest of the album. She plays up the spectacle of her divorce, seemingly referring to her marriage as a situationship in “don’t wanna break up again,” cheating in “eternal sunshine,” disinformation in “true story,” and personal growth in “imperfect for you.” Each of those songs tie into her heartbreak, and growth into eventual healing, depicted through the ballads and soft guitar. These songs contrast the regret and hurt that is upheld within the first tracks.
Each song is so beautiful, yet different in their own way. I appreciate how cohesive each track is with each other, construing that early 2000s concept vibe she aimed for. Additionally, her vocals are undeniably impressive, in both a high and low register, giving this album 5/5 stars.
