GRANDE. Nobody’s copycat
If Ariana Grande’s skillfully realized high notes in “Problem,” the fizzy lead single from her second No. 1 album, “My Everything,” impress you, you aren’t alone: Katy Perry describes the sturdy pipes of the 21-year-old singer-actress as “the best female voice in pop music.”
Grande’s sensational singing skills remind pop-music aficionados of Mariah Carey and Christina Aguilera, as much in the quality of her voice as her performing style. To be fair, Ari is nobody’s copycat—but, after her faultless (and faithful) cover of Carey’s 1991 dance ditty, “Emotions,” comparisons have been unavoidable.
While Ari can effortlessly scale four octaves, Mariah is even more famous for her five-octave range. Moreover, the former grew up on urban pop and ’90s music, with influences in funk, hip-hop, R‘n’B and EDM.
The resemblance ends there, however: Grande writes many of her songs—and, if you notice the range and fusion of genres in her sophomore collection, you’ll realize that the songstress truly deserves her own place under the performing sun.
Unfortunately, while the repertoire’s melodies and Ariana’s singing are remarkable, some of her songs’ lyrics are stodgy. But, her fans don’t seem to care:
Concurrent hits
Last Aug. 30, Grande’s chartbusting collaborations with Iggy Azalea (“Problem”), Zedd (the EDM-fueled “Break Free,” about things that hold her back) and Jessie J and Nicki Minaj (the explosive “Bang Bang”) all landed on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart—only the second time that a female artist (after Adele) has had three concurrent hits in the top 10!
“Only 1” adds some hip-hop edge to the exhilarating fusion of funk and Quincy Jones-style melody. “Love Me Harder” is boosted by the complementary voices of Ari and The Weeknd, while the midtempo tune, “Why Try?,” is about a tumultuous relationship she ironically can’t seem to get enough of.
But, in “Break Your Heart Right Back” (with Childish Gambino), which incorporates a gorgeous sampling of Diana Ross’ “I’m Coming Out,” the songstress finally throws in the towel: “What goes around, comes around/ I’m not doing this again!”
Ariana’s ballads are just as appealing: In the rap-and-sing “Best Mistake” (with Big Sean), she tells the tale of a couple who cares for—but can’t live with—each other. The gorgeously sung “My Everything” is about her realizations after a painful breakup.
In the stirring tune, “Just A Little Bit Of Your Heart,” Grande confesses she doesn’t mind playing second fiddle to her lover’s priorities because, as she explains, “A little love is better than none.”
Despite its contentious theme, the track should find favor with pop-music fans, not only for its saccharine sensibility, but also because it was written especially for Ariana by—One Direction’s Harry Styles!