Ariana Grande’s fourth album titled “Sweetener”was released Aug. 17 2018.

“Sweetener”is a pleasant treat that subtly tastes somewhere between sensual, flirty, dreamy, and radiates positivity.

The 47-minute album contains 15 tracks including the two catchy singles, “God is a Woman” and “No Tears Left to Cry” that dropped earlier this year.
This album is highly recommended to pop lovers and new ‘Arianators.’

The first track “Raindrops (an angel cried)” is an acapella type song. The simple lyrics, “When raindrops fell, down from the sky, The day you left me, an angel cried
Oh, she cried, an angel cried She cried,” fill the 38 seconds of the tune. It’s a very bland song and easily forgettable.

“Blazed” featuring Pharrell Williams had the potential to be the perfect pop song. It has a beat you want to get up to dance to. Grande sings the chorus by dragging the words, “Once I have you, I will never let you, never let you…”, ever so beautifully. The only downside is when Williams sings “shorty you could get blazed,” even though it has the title, it is cringy and unnecessary.

The third song “The light is coming” featuring Nicki Minaj is skip worthy for many reasons. Minaj’s rap part is lazy using incoherent lyrics like “Respect bad gyal when mi done speak”. What? The real tragedy is Grande’s part, where she sings “The light is coming to give back everything the darkness stole.” Just ugh.

“Breathin” is hands down the best track on the album. The song is about feeling overwhelmed with the lyrics “Feel my blood runnin’, swear the sky’s fallin’
How do I know if this shit’sfabricated? Time goes by and I can’t control my mind…” In the chorus Grande provides an enlightenment singing “Just keep breathin’ and breathin’ and breathin’ and breathin’.” It’s a song you don’t want to end. Furthermore, the song is about the singer’s anxiety following a bombing after one of her concerts in Manchester last year.

Another great track is “Say Goodnight and go.” It’s a flirty song about after dark hours that make you wish you had someone to cuddle. Take “Lately, all I want is you on top of me You know where your hands should be So baby, won’t you come show me?” Talk about romantic. But the best part is when Grande sings high pitched,” One of these days
You’ll miss your train and come stay with me
(It’s always say goodnight n go)
We’ll have drinks and talk about things
And any excuse to stay awake with you…”

“Sweetener” is another uplifting song. It’s probably the most repetitive song with the same piano chords throughout the whole song. Not to mention the annoying “And then you get it, get it, get it, get it (ayy)
Hit it, hit it, hit it, hit it (ayy)
Flip it, flip it, flip it
You make me say oh, oh (sheesh, sheesh)
Twist it, twist it, twist it, twist it
Mix it and mix it and mix it and mix it
Kiss it, kiss it, kiss it
You make me say oh, oh (sheesh, sheesh).” And it repeats not twice but four times! Sheesh!

The last, and one of the better tracks on the album, is “Get Well Soon.” It serves a gentle reminder that “you gotta take care of your body.” It’s a song that lifts your spirits and lets you know you’re not alone. Like that sober friend you should listen to.