Image from thatgrapejuice.net
Ariana Grande’s second album, My Everything, was released on August 25, and many people seem to be crazy in love with it, regardless if they are loyal fans of her or not. The 21-year-old singer and actress has moved up to stardom since her first appearance in the Nickelodeon sitcom, Victorious. Although she was well-liked for her role on the show as the bubbly Cat Valentine, she now has everyone hooked on her incredible singing voice, including myself. But I especially like this new album in which Grande doesn’t seem to hold anything back.
Although I did enjoy her first album, Yours Truly, I feel that the songs on this album are much more diverse and showcases the best of Grande’s singing abilities. Many other well-known artists, such as Big Sean and The Weeknd, feature in many of her songs, as well. And I definitely think that each artist complements each song very well. Although, Grande’s voice and song beats could pair well with various other artists, I can imagine. Ariana Grande admits to Billboard that she loves this album five times as much as she loves Yours Truly. After listening to My Everything, I percieve that it’s about her growing up. The songs ooze confidence and makfor e a fun pop statement with its EDM break beats and hip-hop touches.
I really like how the album starts off with a mellow intro and then transitions into a faster beat with its first song, Problem. Problem is the first breakout hit that captured everyone’s attention. The song has managed to remain high up on the the iTunes most popular songs chart since it first came out, and with good reason. Besides the fact that it’s super catchy and fun to dance to, I found that the unpredictable structure of the song and lyrics makes it very unique. The switch from the really belt-y verse to the whispering chorus keeps it very interesting. Also, Iggy Azalea complements the song perfectly with her rap solo.
The next song, One Last Time, changes the mood a bit with its sad tone, but it has a beautiful melody. The lyrics, such as “I know that this is my fault, I should’ve been more careful”, are also unique because it’s not typical to hear a song about a girl feeling sorry about cheating or doing a guy wrong; the roles are usually reversed. Although I can’t relate to whatever bad thing she did, the regretfullness in her voice makes me feel bad for her. Why Try shares the same emotional tone as One Last Time, but it’s about a girl who is frustrated with this complicated relationship yet she can’t seem to walk away. It’s definitely relateable and I particularly like the beat when the “na, na, na” lyrics come on.
Break Free is the next hit song on the album, and with good reason. It has a really cool beat and catchy chorus in which you can’t help but sing along to. I’m also a big fan of Zedd and he totally killed it, as per usual. It’s obvious this song is about moving on and it’s done in a refreshingly playful way. I like the sound of Best Mistake and the solo with Big Sean, but I’m not a fan of the lyrics. They just seem a little on the cliche side and like something that has been written before. I can’t seem to stop singing the song Be My Baby out loud and I’m sure my roomates hate the song because of it. The song reminds me of some Mariah Carey song I can’t remember, but it’s also done really tastefully with it’s clever ryhming and contagious lyrics.
Break Your Heart Right Back didn’t impress me that much. I feel like they could have done a bit more to the chorus maybe because it just didn’t stick out to me like the other songs did. But I was excited to hear the next song, Love Me Harder, featuring The Weeknd; and the collaberation is beautiful. I like how the verse is slow then picks up speed in the chorus. Just A Little Bit Of Your Heart, which was actually written by One Direction’s Harry Styles, doesn’t quite fit in with the other songs on the album. The song makes Ariana Grande sound like a pushover and that she likes being used by this guy, with lyrics like, “I can tell you were just with her, and I’ll still be a fool, I’m a fool for you.” Nevertheless, the song is very soothing.
Things get a little bit risque, especially for Ariana Grande, in the song, Hands On Me, with lyrics like, “You just keep your eyes on my you know what.” It has a pretty good beat to it, as well. I think this is her way of proving that shes not the innocent cute girl that everyone makes her out to be. Lastly, is My Everything, which is probably the saddest song on the album. Although it has good lyrics and a nice melody, I don’t think it should’ve been last on the list. But all in all, I really enjoyed listening to this album very much. I give My Everything four out of five stars.
