On March 8th, 2024, Ariana Grande released her seventh studio album Eternal Sunshine. The album was highly anticipated given that it is the first body of work released from the singer since her previous 2020 album Positions. It was also released amidst rumors surrounding the singer’s romantic life that resulted in much of the public turning against her.
Despite all the backlash against Grande, Eternal Sunshine has been very successful so far. It has performed well on the charts and has received glowing reviews from critics and fans alike. Rolling Stone gave the album a perfect 100 score and hailed it as an “instant classic.” Many are even calling Eternal Sunshine Grande’s best work. Senior Kaylah Rodriguez rates the album a 3.7 out of 5. “I think it was really fun,” she says “But for me, I usually go with music that’s more rock-y, so it was definitely a culture shock.”
Grande was accused of being a homewrecker when she began a relationship with Wicked costar Ethan Slater. Slater’s former wife publicly spoke out against the pop star, stating she is “not a girl’s girl.” Grande confronted the allegations head-on with the album’s first single: “Yes, And?” The upbeat pop song suggests Grande doesn’t care what people are saying about her and thinks that they should mind their own business. Rodriguez comments “If it’s true, I think that’s messed up,” regarding the homewrecking rumors.
The record contains many lighthearted and upbeat songs such as “Bye” and “The Boy is Mine.” Rodriguez says her favorite track is “Bye,” and that she’ll be “using that for a dance session for sure.” But there are also several emotional tracks that show Grande’s vulnerability. The album’s title is a reference to the movie Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, which is a movie about a couple that undergoes a procedure to erase their memories of each other after a painful breakup. The title track seems to address Grande’s divorce from Dalton Gomez. While Positions chronicled Grande and Gomez’s love story, Eternal Sunshine exposes the fallout of their relationship with lyrics like “I’ve never seen someone lie like you do,” and lines that insinuate there was cheating perpetrated by both Gomez and herself.
“We Can’t Be Friends (Wait for Your Love)” was the emotional standout of the album and the second single. The music video took inspiration from the album’s namesake movie, featuring Grande erasing her memories of a painful past relationship. Rodriguez thought it “portrayed what she was feeling well.” The tearful scenes tugged on the heartstrings of fans and made the song even more popular.
The singer-songwriter’s vulnerability shined in songs like “We Can’t Be Friends” and “I Wish I Hated You,” while she showed her playfulness in others. She wasn’t afraid to lean into the public’s perception of her as a villain when sharing her side of the story. Grande created an album that narrates listeners through the highs and lows of her life while showing her growth as an artist. Each song tells a part of a story that doesn’t shy away from the hard truths, exposing the worst and most beautiful parts of love while giving a new perspective on healing. With Eternal Sunshine, Grande took heartbreak and public shame and turned it into an album that stands out as a highlight in her discography.
