Ariana Grande is her own lane.
The longtime LGBTQ+ ally has proven time and time again to be one of the most gifted, talented, and hardest working people in the entertainment industry.
Since her early days as a child star on Broadway and Nickelodeon, Grande has ascended to become one of the most influential and iconic artists in history. Despite all of the trials and tribulations throughout her unbelievable career, the skilled singer has risen above all of the trauma to share her vulnerabilities with her fans all over the world.
There are multiple reasons why Grande is such a beloved entertainer in every aspect of her life. Once she steps into the studio, she makes it her mission to show up as authentically and raw as possible. Her evolution as a human being is one of the most inspiring stories to ever come out of Hollywood. As a woman who's faced so much adversity in the spotlight, she still managers to show up for her fans by turning to music as her ultimate escape.
Grande's eighth and newest studio album, petal, is her most honest record yet. And sometimes, that honesty comes from a very dark place. It's quite frankly, very heartbreaking to look at all of the challenges Grande has had to face in her life. Yet, she always has a million dollar smile on her face and continues to pursue her passions despite the obstacles that get in her way.
Throughout her career, Grande has released high energy pop songs during deeply troubling times of her life. For example, the Sweetener era kicked off following the Manchester bombing during her Dangerous Woman Tour in 2017. That record features many uplifting songs such as "no tears left to cry" and "breathin" that serve as positive anthems to keep pushing through any rough occasion.
Fast forward to today, and Grande is ditching the feel-good songs for a more sincere approach on petal. As she mentioned in an interview with Apple Music, she wrote from a place of 'unfiltered rage' as she tackles the complexities of heartbreak, fame, the parasocial relationship with her fans, and misperceptions from the media. In the title track, Grande blatantly sings 'all of my favorite stories end in some kind of catastrophe' and in the accompanying music video, the singer literally takes a chainsaw and kills the judgmental critics who have critiqued her journey as an artist. Although she's done with the nasty opinions from the public, she makes it clear that 'I am not the victim. Bitch, I'm practically drowning in my blessings.' Queen behavior. And she's right, she is extremely blessed.
While she has no problem addressing the downsides of her reality on petal, Grande also taps into all of the beautiful things that are bringing her joy. The first half of the album brings the listener on a vulnerable journey as she opens up on the adversities that she's faced in her life, but she switches up the pace as the songs play on. It also wouldn't be a quintessential Grande album if there weren't some sensual, or downright feral moments as well. In "big feelings," the singer boasts about her performance in the bedroom with lyrics such as "Pussy so sweet, a tear fell from his eye" and "This sex is ’bout to make a grown man cry." Following "warning signs (interlude)," Grande pops off on her haters in the upbeat and standout track, "like i do," before closing out the record with sweet melodies on "bad thing (bunny hop)" and "nowhere, nobody."
At the end of the day, Grande is a human being too. She deals with extreme pressures, struggles, and hardships that are hard to even fathom. What makes her stand out as an artist is her ability to tap into her deepest vulnerabilities, transforming intense personal grief and public scrutiny into cohesive, genre-blending pop anthems. It's also hard to believe that this is the 7th album released by Grande in the past 3 years. Between deluxe editions of her studio records, the Wicked soundtracks, and the 10th-anniversary special releases, this iconic artist has consistently given fans plenty of music to enjoy.
There's no denying the impact that Grande has had on millions of adoring fans across the globe. With petal, she's just solidifying her legacy even more.
petal is available now on all platforms. Check out the music video for the title track below!
