Wednesday 25 May 2016

Ariana Grande - Dangerous Woman [Album Review]



Following on from 2014’s My Everything, Grande is back with a decidedly more risqué and adventurous album; a deviation from her previous work and musical styling. Indeed, in this deluxe ensemble, Grande gives it her everything (sorry, couldn’t resist) and turns to a multitude of musical genres to draw inspiration from (dance, pop, reggae, soul, funk, R&B). Despite some initial doubt about the focus of the album, and the initial removal of lead single ‘Focus’, after some re-structuring and name changing (from Moonlight), Grande settled on Dangerous Woman, named after the second song on the album. This proves to be a welcome change, as ‘Focus’ set up the album to be something similar to a ‘Problem’ 2.0, and there was slight apprehension that this new discography would be simply a rehash of what ‘worked’ before, instead of something fresh or new.

Fortunately, this appears not to be the case, as Grande opts for versatility and substance instead of simplicity and similarity. Of course, the collaborations are still there, and Grande teams up with Nicki Minaj for ‘Side to Side’ and Future for ‘Everyday’. The former arises after the duo established themselves as a featured pair on ‘Bang Bang’ and together on ‘Get On Your Knees’; their collaboration proving to be killer, and this is no exception. This time they make their mark on this reggae/pop banger, flooding the floor with Grande’s signature pitch perfect voice, while Minaj wastes no time in strutting out her verses across tropical beat waves – an overall catchy and confident collaboration. Elsewhere on the album, Grande opts for smooth and funky throwbacks to 90s R&B, with the fresh gem, ‘Be Alright’. As Grande coolly sings “But daylight is so close/ So don’t you worry ‘bout a thing/ We’re gonna be alright”, you instantly feel immersed in nostalgia as she effortlessly glides her way through this breezy addition. Grande may have just found her musical forte.

It has to be said that Grande has some killer writers on Dangerous Woman, particularly Max Martin and Savan Kotecha, and it is their combined effort that elevates the album to new heights of success. This is no more apparent than on the disco-dance-pop smash, ‘Into You’. As Grande drums out “A little less conversation and a little more touch my body/ Cause I’m so into you, into you, into you”, you can’t help but feel engaged, especially with those little nods to Elvis and her comparative idol, Mariah Carey. It’s clear Grande knows exactly what she’s doing, and she goes with it.

It's safe to say the winning streak continues throughout the deluxe version of the album, with ‘Touch It’, ‘Knew Better/ Forever Boy’ and ‘Moonlight’ showing what she can do. ‘Touch It’ is a self-assured and mature song that talks about knowing what you want and not being afraid to go get it, a confident recurring theme that traipses throughout the album. ‘Knew Better/ Forever Boy’ channels the Tinashe sultry smoothness, as Grande explores her inner woman and contemplates her own independence and reflects on relationship experiences in this impressive double dose. Meanwhile, opening track ‘Moonlight’ is reflective of My Everything, full of glitz and glamour with soaring vocals that place you right inside Grande’s world.


Despite these strong additions, ‘Bad Decisions’ leaves a lot to be desired, and almost teases what Grande could accomplish if she had given something a bit more – although her vocals are impeccable as per usual. Similarly, ‘Sometimes’ sounding a bit Ed Sheeran-esque, doesn’t seem to stack up well against her other tracks, and there is something not entirely together about this seemingly out of place song, despite its appreciated synths and instrumentals.


For all its efforts, Dangerous Woman seemingly highlights Grande’s growth as a musical artist, and her capability at lacing albums with rhythmic hits, but also draws attention to her general lack of cohesiveness. In this sense, the album’s general theming seems to be quite disjointed and uneven, and although Grande succeeds in experimenting with different stylings, there are minimal factors that tie and unify these songs together. Nevertheless, her third studio album is a diverse and energetic affair that she sweetens with her soaring vocals, as she delves into personal experiences, displaying intimacy and raw emotion that we haven’t seen before.


Overall, Dangerous Woman is a confident and self-assured addition from a young woman who is exploring her musical versatility and isn’t afraid to experiment with musical genres. Significantly more mature than her previous editions, this album possesses a personal touch, marking the move away from the pristine glossy pop that Grande founded her fame on, and into something suitably substantial. Building upon this new found musical strength, and trusting her remarkable singing voice (which has one of the best ranges in the industry, it has to be said), Grande shows that she can switch between soulful songs and pop-tastic hits and still achieve success for the most part. 


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