âSweetenerâ album review
By Jerrison Oracion, Senior Columnist
4/5
Ariana Grande was at the top of her game after the release of her previous album Dangerous Woman in 2016. However, tragedy struck during the tour of that album: The now infamous Manchester Arena bombing. A total of 23 peopleâincluding some of Grandeâs fans and the bomberâpassed away in the bombing, a horrific event for a concert or any occasion. Grande and Manchester began to recover after the bombing and when she held a benefit concert to raise money for everyone who was affected by it, she showed that the show must go onâan idea she shows again in her next album Sweetener.
The record begins with âRaindrops (An Angel Cried)â, which is a cover of âAn Angel Criedâ written by Bob Gaudio and references the bombing. Grande says the line âAn angel cried,â which potentially references the singer herself.
Next, the album goes into âBlazed,â which also has Pharrell Williams in it. Because he produced the song, it has everything that you would expect in a Pharrell Williams song. A very catchy track is âThe Light is Comingâ because the beats in it are similar to the beats in the Lady Gaga song âLove Game.â The music video of this song looks like a commercial for Reebok.
My favourite track on the album is âGod Is a Womanâ because it showcases Grandeâs vocal talents. I was as mesmerized by it at first as her soon-to-be husband, Saturday Night Liveâs Pete Davidson, was when he heard it. The music video of the song is the most avant-garde music video that sheâs made. It includes a random scene with a screaming beaver, which I found very funny.
The first hit single from the album, âNo Tears Left to Cryâ, is not a very sad song and it can be listened to again and again. Missy Elliott is heard in âBorderlineâ, and in âPete Davidsonâ, Grande sings a love letter to her fiancĂ© Davidson and it is a simple message of âI love you.â
The album ends with âGet Well Soonâ where she tells everyone who was affected by the bombing that they will recover and in the next few years, they will get to the top. We hear silence for a few seconds to remember the people who passed away in the bombing and then the album ends.
Sweetener sounds like an album that Pharrell Williams would make because he produced most of the songs in it, although he is not one of the executive producers of the album. Some of the songs on it were short but they were so good that I wish they could have been made longer by putting another verse or more music in.
While Sweetener is a great album, it is not in my opinion Grandeâs best album. It has everything that youâd want in an Ariana Grande album mixed with the iconic sound of Pharrell Williams. Still, maybe it will win an award in the Grammy Awards next year.