Ariana Grande triumphs over heartbreak on seventh studio album, ‘eternal sunshine’

The new Ariana Grande era — marked by her seventh studio album and first in nearly four years, “eternal sunshine,” began with a question — “Yes, And?” The single — named after a general rule of thumb in improvisational comedy — marked a new musical pivot for the performer. In some ways, it makes “Yes, And?” a bit of a red herring on “eternal sunshine.” Belt she does throughout the release — her idiosyncratic vocal tone stretches across the funky, finger-snapping, shimmery disco of “Bye.” There’s her breathy falsetto on “Don’t Wanna Break Up”, the pop “Supernatural,” and the wobbly ’00s R&B pop of “True Story” like a long lost Destiny’s Child cut. ”And, I’ll be good in it, too.” There’s a kind of Y2K revivalism here done in distinct Grande fashion — and at least partially inspired by her girl group-inspired track “Fantasize,” which leaked on TikTok last summer. For a record completed in around three-and-a-half months — notably after she finished filming “Wicked,” as she told her fans long ago was the plan — there’s marked innovation and evolution here.