“Imagine” this: “Thank U, Next” is possibly Ariana Grande’s most vulnerable album to date

BY ALEXANDRA SANSONE

Listening to Ariana Grande’s newest musical collection has me singing to the significant other that I don’t have but am suddenly itching to fight with. Having been released only six months after her previous album, “Sweetener,” Grande shows a side usually kept hidden from the masses.

After a trying year of heartbreak after heartbreak for the pop star, Grande has let her tough facade shatter. With a level of vulnerability unseen from Grande before, “Thank U, Next” offers a greater understanding of her inner demons and personal grief. 

The album seems to be Grande’s way of unpacking her suppressed trauma from the Manchester Arena bombing, among other calamities, that many have been quick to forget about. Starting off slow and smooth, Grande seems almost lazy in her vocals– and it works.

The lack of effort usually used to belt out lyrics was absent for the first half of the album before the beats and energy of the tracks built up towards its end– which is something that could also be symbolic of her healing process. This build added to the cohesiveness of the album as a whole, an aspect that was somewhat absent in “Sweetener.” The lazy crooning also gave insight to her cool persona and hypothesized mental state. 

Starting off slow and smooth, Grande seems almost lazy in her vocals– and it works.

Grande also somewhat improved in her annunciation. Grande is known for not annunciating when singing, causing her audience to have a difficult time understanding what she is saying. While this isn’t absent from “Thank U, Next,” it has certainly decreased.

The album is somehow completely different from Grande’s previous works but stays true to her image and sound. The sultry vocals stayed true to Grande’s sensual image while the lyrics portrayed something deeper and more meaningful. 

It’s easy to get lost in each of the 12 tracks. Some lack depth and are more superficial but are still catchy and make for a good head bop (“7 Rings” and “Break up with your girlfriend I’m bored”). Other songs delved deeper into Grande’s psyche, allowing for the lyrics to resonate more with its audience.

I found myself drawing connections between her lyrics and my relationships, all of which have been non-romantic in case you hadn’t picked up on it yet. “NASA,” in particular, rang true for me.

The song shared that distance sometimes makes the heart grow fonder. Grande tells her lover, “I can’t really miss you if I’m with you//And when I miss you, it’ll change the way I kiss you,” before going on to share that she needs space; pun intended. 

“Fake Smile” is a tale of admittance and promise. In it, Grande is promising to be real with herself and the public about how she is feeling instead of hiding behind a “fake smile.” This is something nearly everyone can relate to and find solace in.

The album is somehow completely different from Grande’s previous works but stays true to her image and sound.

Though an overall success, “Thank U, Next” is not without its controversy. “7 Rings” has been talked about constantly over social media after multiple artists came forward claiming that Grande had stolen parts of their work and incorporated it into the track without their knowledge or consent.

The release of “Thank U, Next” has done nothing if shown that Grande has the ability to grow and branch out as an artist while maintaining and creating quality content. And considering the mellow tone of the album as a whole, it will be interesting to see how it is brought to life on stage should she choose to tour with this chapter of her work.

If this is any sign of what she will produce as she matures both as a woman and a musician, then we all just may be a little “needy” for some more.

Photo courtesy of Hypebeast