Just six months after releasing studio album Sweetener, Ariana Grande dropped a new album, thank u, next, on Feb. 8, 2019. This new album addresses the hardships Grande has overcome since the release of Sweetener, such as ending her engagement with comedian Pete Davidson and the death of her ex-boyfriend hip-hop artist Mac Miller.

In thank u, next Grande did a masterful job at painting a clear story of overcoming grief for her listeners. The songs “imagine” and “ghostin” allow fans to begin to understand how Grande felt after the death of Miller with lyrics such as “he just comes to visit me when I’m dreaming every now and then” to show her pain.

Aside from expressing the heart wrenching pain that she went through, Grande also shows listeners how she has become a strong, independent woman in a society that is constantly forcing relationships upon women. The song “NASA” is one example of Grande showing the world that women should be allowed to be happy and have “me time.”

While most of the album is beautifully written and carries a momentous message, some songs fall a bit short. “Fake smile” had great potential and a great message, but the use of the sample of “after laughter” comes off as unoriginal. The repetitive nature of the song takes away from the message that the pressure of the media is forcing a “fake smile” upon Grande.

Overall, my favorite song on the album is “ghostin” because it shows that even though Miller may be gone he is still a part of her life and she cannot just simply let him go.

My least favorite song on the album is “fake smile” because it is a wasted opportunity to call out a major issue in today’s society.
Taking all the highs and lows of the album into consideration I would rate the album 8/10 because it carries a strong message, but there are also some cliche and superficial lyrics that distract from the meaning of the album as a whole.