As a fan of Ariana Grande for the past decade, I have been amazed by her progression as an artist and pleased that the world is finally admitting Ariana is the pop star we all need. Before her career-changing album “Sweetener” shattered the world’s expectations of the previously considered ‘safe’ artist, many people were shy to come out as fans of Ariana because she admittedly made fluffy pop music (not to say there was no substance or depth), and I suppose that was going out of style in the mid-2010s. Ariana’s experimental sound on “Sweetener” impressed new listeners, and less than six months later, the dark and reflective “thank u, next,” smashed the charts and blasted Ariana into stardom.
Almost two years later, we have received what I believe is Ariana’s best work to date: “Positions.” The confidence Ariana exudes on these 14 songs is what makes this album stand out, and is perhaps a showcase of her personal and artistic growth. The singer has had many tragedies occur in her life the past few years, as well as a very public relationship that went sour quickly. How does one superstar cope with all of this? Well, if you’re Ms. Grande, you pour your heart and soul into 14 magnificent songs.
Grande is well versed in creating breathtaking opening songs—“shut up” being no exception. We are first blessed with gorgeous strings, which continue throughout the entire album in incredibly nuanced ways. Grande begins by reflecting on her past: “All these demons help me see shit differently,” whilst still maintaining strength in the following line, “So don’t be sad for me.” Grande is seemingly referring to the substantial loss of her ex-boyfriend Mac Miller in 2018, and the post-traumatic stress she endures following the 2017 Manchester bombing that occurred at her concert. This entire album shows her refreshing new outlook of living life to the fullest, and not caring what others have to say about it. Grande makes it clear she has had enough of what everyone thinks about her in the line “Keep opinions muted for the hell of it / ‘Cause I like my shit.” The chorus repeats the simple, but effective, phrase, “So maybe you should shut up,” letting listeners know that Grande will put out music she wants to put out, and maybe gives the hint that the rest of the album will not be what we’d expect from her. The distorted fading out of the strings makes the listener wonder, “What are we in for next?”
Grande pulls no punches in the giddy and light “34+35.” The singer gets right to the point, telling her newest partner, “Just give me them babies!” The trap influences aren’t new to Grande’s sound, but mixed with her more mature lyrics and vocals, they take this upbeat track to new levels in the best way possible. While all subtlety is lost, Grande is clearly having fun both with her music and in the excitement of her new relationship. Definitely a stand out in the album, this new confident and raw side of Grande is seemingly here to stay, and I for one am thankful for that.
Contrary to some responses to the more explicit songs, the album is more playful than gaudy, and this playfulness is paired with more intimacy and theatricality than her previous works. Grande pays homage to her musical theatre background in the sultry “love language,” which sounds straight out of a Roaring 20s Gatsby party. The jazz-influenced track “my hair” highlights Grande’s roots on Broadway, her voice—literally—reaching new heights, impressing even long time fans by singing the entire chorus in her whistle register. Grande cites the inspiration behind this wispy number to her iconic ponytail she says is a “character facade type thing,” and that her naturally curly locks are much more accurate to who she is in private. Having her partner run his hands through her natural hair, as the song states, is a very intimate thing for Grande, making this standout track even more meaningful.
Another album highlight is “nasty” which tributes her first ever single “The Way.” Her whistle tones being a major highlight of the song are only slightly overshadowed by the brilliant vocal production and surprising lyrics. Grande is impatient in the chorus, “Don’t wanna wait on it / Tonight, I wanna get nasty / What you waiting for?” but still remains in her romantic bliss in the lines “Promise I’m still gonna love you / When you wake up in the AM.”
For Grande, the freshness of this relationship will hardly go stale anytime soon. As she states on the title track, “positions,” she’s “Switching up positions for you / Cookin’ in the kitchen and I’m in the bedroom / I’m in the Olympics, way I’m jumping through hoops.” If there is one thing to take from this album, it’s that Grande isn’t afraid to be vulnerable and shout to the rooftops that she is hopelessly in love. Grande is doing it all for her partner, the next track, “obvious,” showing that her devotion knows no bounds: “Oh, my love, oh, my love is free / Ain’t no price on my loyalty / No shit, got me right where you want me, baby / Could I be more obvious?”
I have always had a soft spot for Grande’s ballads, and while she has less of them on this record, she wholly makes up for it in the quality of the tracks “off the table” and the last track “pov.” The former is a gorgeous collaboration with The Weeknd, and Grande’s vocals once again are breathtaking as she wonders if she will be successfully in love again. The violin accompanying the sweet and airy vocal layering makes this song feel like it’s straight out of a Disney princess movie.
The final song, “pov,” is a career highlight for Grande, who really hits her strides on this reflective and hopeful power ballad. The stunning chorus encapsulates Grande’s newfound appreciation for herself and her strength: “I wanna love me / The way that you love me / Ooh, for all of my pretty and all of my ugly too / I’d love to see me from your point of view.” The singer leaves the listener with goosebumps as she enters the grand finale: “All my baggage fadin’ safely / And if my eyes deceive me / Won’t let them stray too far away.” It seems that Grande will leave her sadness and mistakes in the past, but will continue to learn and grow from them.
This album does fall short of beating out her previous albums like “My Everything” and “Dangerous Woman” in their commercial appeal and bombastic pop sounds, but offers a unique and intimate atmosphere in her latest work. “Positions” feels more personal to who Grande is; the coziness of this album comforts listeners who have similar fears and anxieties about new love and being vulnerable. Grande seems to throw her fears out of the window in favor of enjoying her life and creating music that makes her happy. What more can a girl ask for?
Album Rating: 4/5
Top Three Suggested Songs:
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nasty
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love language
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pov