Everything about Ariana Grande screams high: high ponytails, high notes, high album sales, and of course…high expectations from fans–myself included. So when she released eternal sunshine on March 8, I was waiting for 13 catchy songs with her signature vocal range, “sneak” disses at exes, and the inevitable Tiktokification of her album.

However, just like the second song of the album, I quickly wanted to say “bye.” Although a few songs like the intro, “yes, and?” and “we can’t be friends” quickly became additions to my playlist, the others were unfortunately bland and repetitive. The synth rhythm throughout the songs reminded me of 2018 pop music, the lyrics weren’t on par with her album Sweetener, and overall, the songs just blended together. 

So I wouldn’t rank eternal sunshine as one of Ariana’s most memorable albums. But there were a few songs that stood out, especially in contrast to “supernatural,” which sounded more like background music. The short but sweet introduction to the album was one of my favorites: it highlighted Ariana’s talented voice and the song sounded less computerized.

The slower beat prioritized the lyrics and vocal runs, making it more meaningful and peaceful. My favorite part was “If the sun refused to shine / Baby, would I still be your lover?” Along with the rest of the album, those lines highlighted the confusion, fear, and heartbreak that relationships are often intertwined with–something that Ariana must have been familiar with after her divorce.

“we can’t be friends” also does a great job at showing the bittersweet part of love. The chorus is catchy and upbeat, yet there’s also a melancholy undertone throughout the song. Especially if you pay attention to the lyrics, it sounds like Ariana is trying to find closure. The lines, “Love, I’ll wait for your love / Know that you made me / I don’t like how you paint me, yet I’m still here hanging,” can resonate with most listeners and remind us of our obsession with people-pleasing.

Just like Ariana says, it’s easy to lose ourselves while trying to make others happy, so we should heed her other song and say, “yes, and?” to any haters. This single was released as a teaser, and it immediately became a hit. It’s fast, confident, and easy to sing along to. I would even consider it to be one of her top 10 songs. 

While eternal sunshine did have a few hits, it wasn’t excitingly unique and half the album is a skip for me personally. It was a fun pause from her three-year break, but I think I’ll just say, “thank u, next.”