Samhi C. – Features Editor

skc5908@psu.edu

The album is actually fantastic. 

Sort of. 

“Yes, And?” is the odd one out, the one whose tone does not fit, whose lyrics are inconsistent and irritate me, and whose intro is too loud and annoying. If you are wondering why, go and read my article about “Yes, And?” which was published before I heard the full album. 

The rest of the songs in the collection are beautifully written, and mostly beautifully sung. Grande still has a ways to go in terms of her enunciation, but for the most part, I could understand what she was saying.

I also have to say, many of the songs are highly relatable and there is a deep honesty within the lyrics that I appreciate. In the days of extreme feminists who believe the best way to live and prove themselves to the world is to pretend love is a waste of time, Grande, or perhaps the character or even characters whose voices she uses for these songs, is okay admitting that yeah, sometimes we want a man even if we do not need one and that it is perfectly okay. To be honest, if someone is so keen on thinking a relationship would ruin their drive, maybe that speaks to insecurity and a lack of faith in themselves… But that is neither here nor there. 

Ultimately, Grande’s new album minus “Yes, And?” is a must-listen. But brace yourselves for the big feelings.