Ariana Grande has been on a roll that can’t be stopped. She is objectively one of the best vocalists in the pop world today. She has made numerous hits and her star has surpassed the expectations anyone had for her when she was just an actor on Nickelodeon.
Grande has become one of the biggest pop figures in the world and she doesn’t seem to be slowing down. That’s why it’s interesting to see the route Grande took with her latest album “Positions.”
Even though Grande has crossed to the realms of R&B in the past, she has yet to devote an entire album to R&B. Yet – that is what “Positions” is. It isn’t a pop album. It is 100% an R&B album. And it’s a good one, too.
The album even features R&B heavyweights like The Weeknd and Ty Dolla $ign and it’s interesting to hear a quality R&B album come from Grande who in previous years has only dipped into the genre. Maybe this is with assistance from the previously mentioned heavyweights or maybe it’s a sign that Grande is a lot more musically competent and diverse than previously thought.
Lyrically, there is nothing on the album that fans of the artist haven’t heard from Grande before. The production and the mixing, however, is definitely a new avenue taken from the former Nickelodeon actress and it works great. I would argue that Grande’s lyrical topics and stylings work even better with “Position’s” type of musical production than Grande’s previous albums and styles.
If someone isn’t a fan of Grande’s music and is looking for an album to change their mind, this isn’t going to convince them. However, for people who are fans or otherwise neutral towards Grande and her music, this is going to be a great chapter in the discography of the artist.
“Positions” by Ariana Grande gets an 8/10.
Teren Kowatsch can be reached at [email protected].