Today I woke up super excited because today is the DAY. Ariana Grande released her sixth studio album, “Positions” this morning. I took the time to listen to all of the songs about three times, and let me just say this is by far one of my favorite albums from her. I’ve been a hardcore Ariana Grande fan since Victorious, so I have been there every step of her journey. This album just proves that she is grown! Here is my review of her new album!
- shut up
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As soon as the album starts, you get blessed with a dreamy, almost fairy-tale vibe. She starts this album out strong, with a message to the critics who have doubted her, the chorus literally being “So maybe you should shut up.” The song has a pleasant vibe though, so I feel quite relaxed as she’s indirectly telling me that I sound dumb and to shut up. :)
- 34+35
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You don’t need to be a skilled mathematician to figure out what this song is about. Before I heard this song, I assumed there would be subtle references to the overall message, but I was wrong. 34+35 was EXTREMELY direct, setting the tone for the rest of the song in the beginning with “If I put it quite plainly, just gimme them babies.” This song had a catchy beat, also accompanied by strings.
- motive
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When I first saw Ari was collaborating with Doja Cat on this album, I was very excited. This song is probably one of her most upbeat ones from this album. It easily sounds like it could be played in a trendy clothing store like Hollister. The beginning also reminds me a lot of “Knew Better” from her album Dangerous Woman.
- just like magic
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This song goes through her life and talks about how much she’s starting to embrace it. She emanates energy similar to her song “7 Rings”. This song also has extremely dreamy and relaxing vibes. There is also a line that could easily be a reference to Mac Miller, her ex-boyfriend who passed away in 2018. The line says “Take my pen and write some love letters to Heaven” which in a way could represent how her positivity and acceptance towards the world are benefitting her.
- off the table
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This song is Ariana’s second collaboration with The Weeknd, along with Love Me Harder, which came out in 2014. That’s pretty crazy! Anyway, this song is Ariana asking herself if she’s ready to commit to a serious relationship with her partner. The Weeknd reassures her that he is willing to love her, and is in a better place than he used to be. This back and forth dialogue in the song is very similar to Love Me Harder, and I think it’s really cool that they decided to do another. Their voices really suit each other, and the song has such a dark melodic tone.
- six thirty
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This song is basically asking her partner if she’s “down” to be with her, alluding to six-thirty. She references it to the sun setting because it also goes down at 6:30. This song reminds me of the song “Wit it This Christmas” from her album “Christmas n Chill.” For some reason, this song specifically gave me some good holiday vibes.
- safety net
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Safety Net features Ty Dolla Sign. It is one of her more vulnerable tracks from the album, opening up about how scared she is to be in a new relationship. She constantly says she’s not sure if she should “fight or fly,” meaning she’s not sure if she should trust her instincts or take flight because she’s scared of getting too close. This song has a smooth beat with borderline spooky instrumentation. Ty Dolla Sign’s feature is also really nice and compliments the tune perfectly. One of my favorites off of this album!
- my hair
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This song sounds unlike any other on the album, with some prevalent old-fashioned jazz vibes. “My Hair” is basically about Ariana’s hair, and how she feels vulnerable enough to let her partner touch it. Her hair has been something long talked about with the iconic big ponytail. This song is expressing how comfortable she is with her partner, that she is willing to let him touch her natural hair. The style of this song is unlike anything she’s ever done, but it really works here, showing a sense of maturity. She also sings the entire last chorus as only whistle notes, which is extremely impressive!
- nasty
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This song really lives to its title. Ariana is discussing throughout the song how she craves for attention from her lover. It’s a very risqué, slowed down song that I think personally works perfectly for this album. It also starts off with a beautiful whistle note. Another one of my favorite songs!
- west side
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In this song, Ariana is talking about what she wants in a relationship. She makes it clear that she wants to be in her boyfriend’s life to be married, saying “Just let me be in your life like that, Be your wife like that” This song has such a calm flow. I could see myself taking a long drive in the summer to it!
- love language
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There are a lot of “Honeymoon Avenue” vibes in this for me, which is one of her hit songs from her first album, Yours Truly. It also gives me some early 2000’s vibes. This bop is about Ariana trying to discover her man’s love language so they can really connect, and she can learn about what love is like.
- positions
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This is Ariana’s first single off the album, which I thought was a good choice. This is a very catchy song that discusses how Ariana has different positions and is willing to be flexible in all aspects of a relationship. The music video is definitely empowering as well, showing Ariana as president, chef, and even just chilling (or more) in the bedroom. It’s a good way of expressing that women are powerful and deserve respect regardless of what they’re doing.
- obvious
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This song contains really beautiful melodic lines, and has such a nice message, about being with her lover. She doesn’t want anything to get in the way of them being together, because she loves the feeling of having him.
- pov
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As soon as I heard this song, I knew for a fact it was my favorite off of the album. The melody pulled at my heartstrings, with such a great combination of vulnerable, raw vocals and delicate, beautiful instrumentation. The song is about Ariana wanting to see herself from her point of view, as trusted and loved. This is the last track on the album, and I’m so glad she put this one at the end. I think it’s a beautiful way to conclude such a well thought out album.
Overall, this album is one of my favorites she has ever released. There has been quite a lot of criticism already, even about the album cover (which I personally think is her best one sorry not sorry). “Positions” showcases a lot of maturity from her, showing that she isn’t afraid to be vulnerable when it comes to her emotions and sexuality. At first, I was scared of not liking this album. I was quickly reassured otherwise, the beautiful and empowering messages and melodies being so evident. I definitely recommend listening to this artistic masterpiece!