Ariana Grande released her sixth studio album, “Positions,” on Friday, Oct. 30.
Adjunct music instructor Darren Litzie said, “Ariana Grande is a really fascinating artist. She has a diverse array of influences, from Judy Garland to Mariah Carey, and from musical theater to hip-hop.”
Grande’s new album came less than a week after she released the album’s title track “positions” as a single along with a music video for the track. The new fourteen-song pop album features artists including Doja Cat, The Weeknd and Ty Dolla $ign. It was recorded and produced throughout the COVID-19 quarantine.
As a whole, the album was received well by critics. Maura Johnston from TIME magazine wrote in her review, “Grande’s most potent weapon as a pop star is her ability to make the personal universal; on record, her honesty about her struggles is rocket-fueled by her innate knowledge of what makes a hook undeniable, and those two qualities are all over ‘Positions.’”
In “shut up,” the first track of Grande’s new album, she sings, “All these demons helped me see **** differently, so don’t be sad for me.” The album deals with Grande’s inner strength and self-awareness.
Several of the songs deal with the feelings of starting new relationships after experiencing the loss of a loved one, the desire to better one’s self and the more intimate side of relationships.
In terms of style, Grande doesn’t stray far from the R&B-inspired pop for which she has become well-known.
On some tracks, Grande goes for more of an orchestral track with a tight and poppy 80’s sound, like the track “34+35.” In the track “my hair,” the production sounds more like something off of a late 90’s R&B ballad.
Senior Mickey Pirro said, “She writes music that I can relate to. Her song ‘no tears left to cry’ is about overcoming her biggest hardships. Her song ‘Break Free’ is about being your true self and not letting people bring you down. These themes are common in her music and are relatable to so many people.”
One of the things Pirro loves about Grande is that she creates all different kinds of music.
“Her album ‘Sweetener’ is one of her best because of how unique it is. She has always been able to explore different genres of music, and that is what I like most about her – she always does something unexpected but never disappoints.”
As for how Litzie sees Grande’s importance in pop, he said, “I think years from now we’ll be referring to Ariana Grande, and probably Beyoncé and Adele, as the most iconic female pop
singers of this period, the same way we associate Mariah Carey with the 90’s and Aretha Franklin with the 60’s and 70’s.”
Litzie also said, “When I listen to Ariana’s records, I don’t hear someone doing an imitation of Mariah Carey. I hear a distinct style that is uniquely her own.”
Grande’s new album can be found on most streaming platforms, including Spotify, Apple Music and Amazon Music. The “Positions” music video can be found on Grande’s Official Artist Channel on YouTube.
