Remember how I said I was going to review all of these new albums? I lied. It wasn't a flat out lie, I just haven't liked the way I reviewed albums/music for the longest time. For some reason I thought I had to write an English essay about the emotion behind a song and discombobulate it so I could sound deep and intelligent. Two problems with that. One, it feels like a hassle when I'm writing it so I don't love the end product (the review/post) as much. Two, I tend to not listen to a lot of songs lyrically (I get distracted ridiculously easy). Basically what I meant to say was fuck that other shit I was doing, I'm going to make all of these music reviews much shorter and simpler. My first victim is the first new Ariana Grande track, "Dangerous Woman".
"Dangerous Woman" could not have come at a more perfect time. We all know Ariana can sing circles around every other female new-comer in the industry, but what I feel has been lacking from her lately is substance. Take "Focus", her most recent single, for example. What the hell was that about? All I got was "look at how sexy I am, bae! Focus on this nice ass and this witch hair!" Her first album was stellar, but starting with her second album I felt as if she was making more generic pop music because that is what would get her more radio play and she lost what made her so special in 2013 when "Yours Truly" first came out. I love "My Everything" but it's nothing compared to her first album. Nothing.
If this song is foreshadowing what's to come of Grande's new material in 2016, we are in for a treat. This song gave me Alicia Keys vibes. Remember Alicia Keys? Not new Alicia, I'm talking about old school piano, funky, jazzy, old school R&B Alicia Keys. From the moment the beat kicks in at the beginning, I was hooked. Her sultry run at the beginning before she swam in with the first chorus set up everything to be magic. The phrasing of the pre-chorus set up the chorus magically, the chorus (when the actual beat drops) gave me goosebumps. If she's going for a straight up EPIC banger, she's all set.
I admittedly sighed when I heard the album was going to be called "Dangerous Woman" because Ariana just sounds like she does everything for the gram but who gives a crap? This is the first step in a much more grown up, clear sound that proves Ariana isn't just here to crank out forgettable pop tunes. And did I mention that my girl is annunciating this time around? I understood what she was saying and it made for a much more satisfying conclusion as she belted out the bigger and more powerful parts of the song. She's back, and she's ready to take over the industry with music that means something and vocals that make every one else crawl in their shells and go to bed just so they could dream about being half the vocalist she is.
Also, no. I don't get or approve of the bunny ears.
SONG GRADE: A
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