I am too damned old to be concerned with Nickelodeon/Disney stars. However, when these stars decide to start making music, they become my concern. Ariana Grande is definitely on my radar. I hated on her first single when I heard it, but it won over my cold heart. Subsequent singles and even seeing her cover Mariah’s “Emotions” made me see that this chick is the real deal. Her whistle register is pretty dope. Yours Truly’ not only has to introduce the world to Ariana as a musical artist, but also let us know if this girl has what it takes to fill Mariah’s Louboutins. Here’s the blow by blow:
Honeymoon Avenue: The song and album start off with soaring strings (not unlike Justin Timberlake’s) which lead up to a mid tempo song that has some knock to it. Ariana’s vocals are really showcased and allowed to shine under this fairly simple production. I like how the lyrics stick to theme of driving to convey that she is over her man’s foolishness and wants him to go back to how he used to act when he was trying to first get in her panties. I mean, these are lyrics we can ALL relate to, no?
Baby I: The beginning of this reminds me of the start of a movie when they do the THX sound. I like the song. It’s really cute and frantic. The chorus has Ashanti written all over it. Hell, the whole song says “baby” probably 2342338 times. You know Ashanti is pissed that she didn’t write this first. It’s a fun and simple love song.
Right There: This song features not only Big Sean, but an amazing sample of a Lil’ Kim classic. I have always loved the beat to “Crush on You” so this song won me over quite easily. I like the addition of the snaps and the drums to make it sound a bit different and fresh.
Tattooed Heart: I have always said that Ariana is constantly styled like a girl from the 50s going to the dance. This song is most likely what her slow dance song of choice would be. It’s a bit boring, but it allows her to show off her powerhouse vocals.
Lovin’ It: A fun, bouncy track with a lot of hand claps and “hey” samples. This is starting to sound like her signature sound
Piano: I think I really enjoy the lyrics to this song. I just like the whole idea of “instead of being salty, I’m gonna get over it and dance”
Daydreamin’: She starts out all breathy and dreamy. She stops giving us 90s Mariah and serves up some 2000s Mariah for a moment. The song itself is decent.
The Way: This was the first song I heard about her. Many thought this was Mariah when it first came out. The Big Pun sample and the big voice definitely seemed like something that Mariah would have done back in the day. I didn’t love it when I first heard it, but it grew on me.
You’ll Never Know: I don’t have anything to say. It’s not horrible, just forgettable.
Almost is Never Enough: I freaking love this song. Productionwise it’s just a piano and some snaps (quel surprise) but the vocals and the lyrics is what makes it stand out. I don’t often care for slow songs, but Ariana and Nathan Skyes turned this song out. It kind of reminds me of Brandy’s “Brokenhearted”
Popular Song: I honestly thought MIKA was dead. I’m glad to report he’s not and he’s making music with Ariana Grande. I guess this is supposed to give unpopular kids hope. It’s kind of cheesy to me.
Better Left Unsaid: I guess no album in 2013 is complete until it has a fist pumping anthem. It’s an upbeat, fun song but it sounds like a bad David Guetta wannabe. I could have done without this.
Overall, I like the album. I don’t think the New Mariah” title is exactly just. Yes, the girl has pipes and a range that is far better than most chicks out today. With that being said, she still has a ways to go with learning exactly how to use what God has given her. I think she played it pretty safe with this album. She stuck to a formula of a piano, claps, chop and screwed vocals, and a few “HEY!”s for good measure. Yes, she had me nodding along, but a lot of material gets lost in the uniformity of the album.I think it was pretty smart to bring the 90s vibe. It comes off as something different for the younger generation who may not be familiar with 90s music. It strikes a chord of nostalgia with those of us who had some of our best memories set to 90s music.
I do think this is a solid first effort and that she could have a great career ahead of her. OR she could be the next Christina Aguilera. Remember when she was the new Mariah? How about Leona Lewis? When will people realize that calling new female artists “The New Mariah” is the kiss of death? Can we just call her “The next JoJo” and give this poor girl a chance to be great?
Here's little bonus:
