Ariana Grande
Dangerous Woman

Release Date: 2016 | Tracklist

Considering the controversial circumstances that pop superstar and former Nick actress Ariana Grande has endured over the last year, she's come out of that darkening abyss, out of that despair more confident and empowered than we have seen her in her incredible rise to music stardom in the last 6 years. With her spiteful breakup with Detroit rapper Big Sean and then her unpatriotic, yet accurate comments to the modern, current state of America in addition to her "donut licking" controversy, a stormy cloud was starting to formulate around the dashing, sexy vocal extraordinaire and diluting the success in which she has amassed in sheer abundance in this time. The public perception that circumvented away from her Arianators fanbase was a spoiled, selfish diva who was only fixated on herself and nobody else but her, throwing her sex appeal out to the masses to consume and come away in awe with from her angelic beauty. It was only further escalated with what has come to be easily the worst song in her musical career in 2015, the overhyped, Jamie Foxx-featured "Focus", one that delivered a hook so off-point, so awkward and cringeworthy that it didn't matter what vocal abilities Grande could pull off: the damage had already been done. With this seemingly dark abyss crossing the horizon on her radar, Ariana needed to fight the media, make her major return and continue the path that helped break her through two years back in her hit-filled, romantic "My Everything". She hasn't taken the focus away from the lustful desires of love and sexual innuendos, but she has decided to take a page off Fifth Harmony's and Meghan Trainor's pro-feminist concept and plaster it into her badass, sleek comeback in the fiery, personal "Dangerous Woman".

In the day of age where women of our society are currently taking a stand for themselves emotionally, feeling oppressed by the stereotypes of society with model-esque body image, and the obligations of what a woman should, or can or cannot do - the females of the entertainment industry are fighting against the judgmental madness. Meghan Trainor derivates from this quite well, having recently pulled off the original rendition of her latest music video from her sophomore release "Thank You" for Photoshopping her big body. Ariana Grande takes this confidence that she feels all girls should take ahold of and meshes it into one of self-worth, perseverance, and personal freedom, whilst reflecting back at the flaws and mistakes she's made in the last year. Highlighted by the fuzzy, bristled "Be Alright", she glistens through the flowery, up-beat R&B-eloquent composition over her past mistakes while also taking some fun, light-hearted jabs at her own self for the donut controversy that gelled into the minds of gossip-hungry bottom feeders. Lines like "But daylight is so close/So don't you worry 'bout a thing" speak fluently that despite the rocky road she had been as of that time, that it has all eroded away and that only good can come out of those awkward mistakes. The sparkling synths and woozy bass blaze through and slide in perfectly, feeling a tad bit of emotion but friendly enough to dilute its emotive premise. The candied, scented essence more than fits the emotive reflection she looks back on, an apology of sorts to herself for the mistakes she's committed and to push through those hard times that she did to herself.

Expected to continue the empowerment path, Grande follows it but also treads the scandalous road as well, dripping the innocence away with an ounce of gauging sex appeal, something that more than benefits the pop superstar in spades. The sexiness engaged full-throttle when she yields to her raciness in the futuristic, sensual "Into You", with powering bass and beaming synths sparkling all throughout - a damning assurance that despite the inspiration of this album, she isn't afraid to find a way to flash her sexuality into the essence of her music. The iffy decision to place it in serves the original purpose of this album regardless, also giving the typical women motivation and inspiration that they can dominate too like their male counterparts, more less control them too. It isn't the only wild card out of this bunch, diving into darker waters with the '90s-esque, nightly "Let Me Love You", a lust-filled, love-seeking potion that is effusive with its slower premise - topped off with a touchy, expressive verse by the premier face of Southern rap, the one and only Lil' Wayne. Flattered by lustful lines like "grinding on this grande/I'm drowning, I'm gonna need that coast guard", she and Lil' Tunechi stimulate this sexy spell once more with sensuality and pleasure, reminding us that this isn't just a one-time deal. Even better with Grande's transition is the leniency that she's given to her rap features, which have felt boggled-down and clean-cut for the sake of no profanity. That is no longer the case as rappers like Future and Nicki Minaj belt out in their respective appearances. Certainly don't mind it, as this diversity and expression such as the most sexually-charged and involved song with Wayne refreshes us away from girl-power overload.

When Ariana Grande debuted her crony, serenading title track off of "Dangerous Woman", nationally-syndicated radio host Ryan Seacrest spoke and captured its fiery, rebellious premise, saying that "it makes you want to slither and hunker", speaking it as if it is a big "f*** you" to all of her critics. This seductive, blossoming album is the fitting sequel to her romantic trance in "My Everything", however she balances it a lot more with less caring of her critics, focusing on what she is now and what she will be in the future to come, whilst inspiring girls everywhere of their potential in the world. She always felt that she had to live by the rules of her craft and of the industry, brimming away with her innocent, appropriate stints in her acting career and then in her official album debut. That old self of hers is dead and gone, replaced by her new self who feels free, non caring of what her enemies say or think, and expressive of her mind and of her sexual spirit. A prime example of what the rest of her brethren should follow, and empower to the rest of the world: screw the stereotype.

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