It has been almost four years since Ariana Grande released her sixth studio album Positions. Grande is finding her light again on ‘eternal sunshine.’
‘eternal sunshine’ rises with the sound of crackling vinyl and the symphonic strings of “intro (end of the world).” This prelude wonders, “And if it all ended tomorrow, Would I be the one on your mind?”
The next 12 tracks follow Grande as she attempts to answer that question. As the album orbits through the empowering “bye” into the bold “supernatural,” Grande becomes more self assured.
As that self confidence begins to settle in, a very apparent transition in the sounds and the lyrics happens on track 4. “Saturn Returns Interlude” opens with a short sample from Intuitive-Astrological Counsellor Diana Garland’s YouTube video, “Why 29 Years Old Is An Important Age.” The zodiacal clip, discusses the transitions that happen in your late 20’s, and the tough decisions that people are faced with in that pivotal year.
For Grande, one of those decisions was choosing to move on and make peace with the end of a relationship, as heard in track 5, the title track.
Unlike her previous albums, Grande has also made the decision to step into the role of producer on ‘eternal sunshine.’ The move gave Grande the opportunity to put herself into not just the words, but the sound. Grande experiments with Madonna-esque beats on “yes, and?,” Imogen Heap inspired harmonies on “wish i hated you,” and a Robyn-style melody on “we can’t be friends.”
Grande brings the album full circle with the wise words of her Nonna, whose voice is featured on the final song, “ordinary things.” Nonna reminisces on what it was like to love late husband and Grande’s maternal grandfather, Frank Grande. “It was like seeing daylight,” she says.
The entire project serves as a time capsule of Ariana Grande’s 29th year around the sun, and is a radiant reflection of authentic and unapologetic self-discovery.
Featured Photo Credit: Katia Temkin
Amelia Cordischi, Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Juice Box Press, is an accomplished digital marketing professional with over a decade of experience in media and communications. Her work has been featured in notable publications, including The Boston Globe. A communications graduate of Simmons University in Boston, Amelia served as manager of Simmons College Radio (“The Shark”), where she also launched and co-hosted her radio show, The Find.
In addition to her editorial work, Amelia is an established freelance photographer, with bylines in Blended Magazine and CelebMix, capturing artists and cultural moments across the music and media landscape. Her career began at WCVB-TV’s Chronicle, the ABC affiliate in Boston, where she gained firsthand experience in broadcast journalism and storytelling.
When she’s not taking photos from the photo pit, interviewing emerging artists, or crafting the next Juice Box Press feature, Amelia can be found thrifting and exploring the world of sustainable fashion.