Rating: 5/5 stars

Ariana Grande has perfected the art of deluxe albums with her release of “eternal sunshine deluxe: brighter days ahead.” 

“eternal sunshine,” which was released last year on March 8, 2024, was Grande’s seventh studio album. The concept album was inspired by one of Grande’s favorite movies, “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind” (2004), which is about two ex-lovers erasing their memories of each other. 

Using a concept album, Grande could hide behind the story of her album to heal and reflect on the public scrutiny that she has faced over the past few years. 

The concept album focused on love and the loss of it. Grande contends with the concept of “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind” and wishes to erase memories through her songs on the album.

“eternal sunshine” beautifully tells a story with Grande restraining her powerhouse of a voice to tell this complex lesson that Grande asks in “intro (end of the world)” where she sings, “How can I tell if I’m in the right relationship?” Grande then ends the album with “ordinary things (feat. nonna)” where her grandma, called Nonna, answers that question in a voice memo. 

Grande adds to this story of heartbreak and finding herself in “eternal sunshine deluxe: brighter days ahead.” 

The first song added is “intro (end of the world) (extended)” and adds to this question. In the album, Grande is trying to convince herself that she does not need this person who broke her, but the deluxe version depicts Grande finally moving on. In the song, she writes, “I broke your heart because you broke mine (I broke your heart)/So me, I am the bad guy/’Cause I’d already grieved you.”

“twilight zone” follows with this theme of moving on. The song has a catchy beat. Grande worked with Max Martin, a Swedish record producer and songwriter, on both “eternal sunshine” and the deluxe. Martin works well with connecting lyrics and melody to make it sound the most impactful. So while “twilight zone” is an instant catch, the lyrics also continue the story Grande is telling with lyrics like, “And it’s not like I’m still not over you/It’s so strange, this I never do/Not that I miss you, I don’t/Sometimes, I just can’t believe/You happened.” Here, Grande is showing how moving on is not as simple as missing or not missing a person, adding onto the themes of the movie the album is conceptualized from. 

The deluxe album takes a turn with Grande writing a few love songs. “warm” and “dandelion” talk about finding love after heartbreak, and how this new love is easy and safe. “warm” talks about the growth Grande has made, feeling safe on her own saying, “‘Cause I’m cool/On my own/But it’s warmer/In your arms.” “dandelion” sounds like “old Ariana” with her more trap beats that are similar to older albums like “SWEETENER” and “positions.”

Grande ends the deluxe songs with the beautiful song “Hampstead.” Hampstead, England, is where Grande stayed during the duration of the filming of “Wicked” (2024). The song seems to be Grande’s final closing on her past marriage, with her powerful symbolism in the lyrics. One line that describes the mental place Grande was in Hampstead is, “I don’t remember too much of the last year/But I knew who I was when I got here/’Cause I’m still the same but only entirely different/And my lover’s just some lines in some songs.” 

“Hampstead” is the final chapter of the “eternal sunshine” era, a time when Grande has truly healed. Music and “Wicked” have allowed Grande to enter a place where she feels protected in herself, both mentally and romantically. Grande has handled public opinion and scrutiny gracefully, allowing her talent and work to speak for her.

Image via Katia Temkin