American singer-songwriter Ariana Grande released her fourth studio album, “Sweetener” on Aug. 17. The cover art for all four of Grande’s albums include photos of the artist, but “Sweetener” is the first to not use a black and white filter. Photo fair use of Megastyle
American singer-songwriter Ariana Grande released her fourth studio album, “Sweetener,” on Aug. 17.
After promoting the album on social media for almost three months, pop singer Ariana Grande released “Sweetener” on Aug. 17, available on Spotify and Apple Music. The album is complete with 15 tracks, differing in style compared to Grande’s three albums released earlier in her career.
While Grande maintains her signature pop sound, the sounds transform dramatically from song to song as she mixes pop melodies with synthesized beats.
Her single, “The Light is Coming”, gives a punchy, almost harsh techno beat that will leave listeners bobbing their heads. This style of pop is unlike anything Grande has done before, yet it resurfaces throughout the album in songs such as “Blazed” and “Borderline.”
The album contains impressive cross-genre features from artists, such as hip-hop artists Nicki Minaj, Pharrell Williams and Missy Elliott. Grande effortlessly blends her sounds with those of the other artists to create a unique expirence.
Where Grande missed the mark is on the namesake of the album, the sixth track, “Sweetener”. Further straying away from the style of her previous work, “Sweetener” is Grande’s attempt at a hip-hop dance track. Without a feature from a hip-hop artist, the song feels elementary.
Lyrically, the album is consistent and heartfelt, detailing Grande’s breakup with rap artist Mac Miller and engagement to “Saturday Night Live” comedian Pete Davidson, as well as personal topics such as anxiety and self-preservation.
However, in some tracks, it is difficult to recognize the raw emotions present in her lyrics through disorienting and repetitive beats.
While the album is entertaining to listen to, “Sweetener,” with the exception of a couple of tracks, feels immature and underdeveloped compared to Grande’s previous work.
