Ariana Grande, a figure accustomed to the constant glare of the spotlight, has skillfully navigated its complexities over the years. Her seventh studio album, eternal sunshine, emerges as a conceptual exploration inspired by the 2004 film starring Jim Carrey—an actor Grande has long admired. This new album feels like an intricate game of perception, artfully obscuring the lines between genuine personal experiences and crafted theatrical elements. Released amidst a period of intense public scrutiny—marked by marriage, divorce, and a prominent role in the Wicked film adaptation—Grande is acutely aware of the questions swirling around her. However, eternal sunshine isn’t about providing straightforward answers. Instead, it serves as a subtle reminder of the limited transparency celebrities truly owe their audience.
In her conversation with Zane Lowe, Grande delves into the deliberate ambiguity of the project. She describes the track “true story” as “an untrue story based on all untrue events,” and responds with a shrug when questioned about her Saturn return experience, an astrological event referenced in the album’s interlude, stating, “It was chill. Nothing changed. Pretty uneventful.” Grande articulates that she finds liberation within art because “you can really pull from anywhere,” portraying the film inspiration as another “lovely costume” to adopt. Her responses carry undertones of defiance, suggesting a quiet assertion of control. Who established the rule that albums must be neatly packaged narratives of truth? “It doesn’t have to be an everlasting love story,” she explained to Lowe. “Love is complicated. Showcasing both sides of it is what I tried to [do].”
What becomes unequivocally clear through these tracks is that Ariana remains vocally unmatched. She effortlessly reaches her signature high notes in tracks like “eternal sunshine,” seeks catharsis on the dance floor with “yes, and?”, and skillfully reimagines 90s R&B on “the boy is mine,” a spiritual successor to her previously leaked song “fantasize” from 2023. When asked about her personal favorite from eternal sunshine songs, she points to “imperfect for you,” a heartfelt ode to her closest friends. “We’re so lucky to have loved ones who are accepting and real with us no matter what,” she reflects. “We live in a time where everything is boiled down, but that song demands room for nuance, humanness, and complexity.” Through eternal sunshine, Ariana Grande invites listeners into a world of carefully constructed ambiguity, showcasing her continued evolution as an artist who values complexity over simple truths within her music.
