Grande’s new album full of “copy and paste” hits

Pop artist Ariana Grande released her fifth studio album that became her first No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100.

“Thank u, next” is Ariana Grande’s fifth studio album, which arrived just five months and 22 days after the release of her fourth studio album, “Sweetener.” The album revolves around its lead single and titular track, which is based on a since-deleted tweet Ariana made in response to a joke Pete Davidson made on the two’s failed engagement in a promotional clip for Saturday Night Live.

Grande’s previous album “Sweetener” was her first album since the attack in Manchester that killed 22 people and injured many more. This event took a toll on Grande, and when she came back after this event, she came back better than ever. “Sweetener” delivered heart wrenching lyrics along with smooth vocals. Emotions poured out of the songs, giving the listener a look into Grande’s personal life. These emotions were raw and real. 

“Sweetener” was different from every other pop album she had released; the songs flowed through each other like a story waiting to be discovered by a close eye on the lyrics and their deeper meanings. These songs were poems put into catchy pop/rap tunes made to be related to. 

Grande’s new album “thank u, next” follows the same rhythm of the previous album. After the release of this album, Grande had already endured a breakup from her very public relationship with Davidson and her ex-boyfriend Mac Miller overdosing. 

This album is full of emotion much like “Sweetener,” but it left me feeling empty and unable to relate to Grande as much as “Sweetener.” Grande seemed to have found a recipe to keep her in the top charts with “Sweetener,” and its lead single “no tears left to cry.” The songs in “Sweetener” were easier to relate to, but in “thank u, next” I felt like I was just listening to someone complain for 41 minutes. 

Grande likes to use comedy as an outlet to show her emotions, and she uses this throughout the album, and because of this, the lyrics don’t feel real, They feel empty and like the emotions she’s trying to convey aren’t worth dwelling over. 

The only song I felt had real emotions was “ghostin,” which one could assume after listening is about her now-deceased ex Mac Miller. The soft instrumental of this song combined with her breathy voice gives an almost ethereal sound that fills the head and brings you into Grande’s world. 

I felt this song was the highlight of the album, especially after hearing her title single “thank u, next,” which was just another copy-paste radio hit. 

Grande grew up from her bubblegum self to a mature young woman in “Sweetener.” In this album, she took many steps forward toward a more mature and sophisticated image, but after the release of “thank u, next,” her growth remains stagnant as she falls back to her habits of copy and paste hits made for the charts, but not for those seeking to relate to her and feel connected to the music.