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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