From the release of “eternal sunshine” last year to her appearance as Glinda in the “Wicked” film, Ariana Grande has gone through her peaks and valleys in the press. . Whether that is the very public divorce with Dalton Gomez or her new relationship speculation with “Wicked” co-star Ethan Slater, there is no doubt that the Grammy-winning pop icon has endured plenty in love and relationships.
In her recent release of a deluxe album, “eternal sunshine deluxe: brighter days ahead,” Grande puts out six (well, five and a half, since one of them is an extended version) new songs that doesn’t differ thematically or sonically, but confesses a new, healed perspective on the challenges and heartbreak she has faced in her relationship.
Grande reflects on her past relationship in her extended intro track, “intro (end of the world) [extended]” where she sings “I broke your heart because you broke mine…'cause I’d already grieved you/And you started to realize I do need ya, I did/I wish I could un-need ya, so I did.”
She takes accountability for her actions in a relationship that she clearly valued and pays homage to the movie that inspired the name of this album, “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind” (2004) by Michel Gondry. In the film, the protagonists only realize how meaningful the relationship was for them when they are erasing their memories of each other, but are hopeful at the end of the movie when they start a new relationship together — despite the risk of repeating the same mistakes — to free themselves from the pain of the past.
Like the film, Grande is aware of the flaws in her former relationship and is optimistic about her current relationship. The inspired concept of this movie incorporated in this album is what makes it such a vulnerable and emotional experience for both herself and also therapeutic to her fans who can relate to similar experiences.
The new songs on “brighter days ahead” reflect the time between the “eternal sunshine” debut and her current status. In “twilight zone,” she expresses disbelief and feels surreal that her marriage actually happened, and references the iconic TV show that shares the same name as this song, “The Twilight Zone.”
In “past life,” she is ready to move on from the divorce as she sings, “now I’m fine to leave you in a past life.” Grande’s inspiration from films in this album continues in “warm,” where she makes a connection to her own film this time in the lyric “Can you hold the space I require or will you turn the page?” The reference from “Wicked” does not stop at “holding space,” but continues as she titles her last track, “Hampstead,” the neighborhood where she stayed while filming the movie.
Her song “dandelion” shows more of her current state with love, where she cheekily encourages her current partner that “[she’ll] be your dandelion,” meaning that she will grant her lovers anything they wish for, because of the myth of blowing a dandelion flower.
There is no doubt that “eternal sunshine deluxe: brighter days ahead” is a skillfully produced album through the multiple layers that we can hear in the background of her complex and rich vocal arrangements, especially after her musical training with the “Wicked” film. Not only is Grande a talented performer, she is also a gifted technician; hence, this album is going to sound cathartic no matter the meaning and message behind it.
Through the growth of her mindset in love from her life status in “eternal sunshine” transition to “brighter days ahead,” Grande has demonstrated the dichotomy in the album title-inspired film where—inevitably—the hurt and complicated feeling that comes from a low moment of your life like a divorce or memory erasure, can be mended by new ways to find happiness in closure or the promise of a new relationship.