29 Thoughts I Had Listening to Ariana Grande’s Eternal Sunshine

Today, Ariana Grande unveiled Eternal Sunshine, her highly anticipated seventh studio album, and, as usual, the pop singer delivered. Impressively concise (it flies by in about 32 minutes), the album is filled with introspective lyrics and chill-pop beats perfect for sad-dancing, whether at the club or in your room. “It’s incredibly human,” Grande recently said of the album on the Zach Sang Show. “It was definitely the most emotional writing process. But there are also bops that are more fun.”

Of course, it wouldn’t be an Ari album if the tracks didn’t focus on love, loss, and moving on. With input from heavyweight producers like Max Martin (though Grande also did a lot of the producing herself), the singer playfully bounces through break-ups and failed romances while riffing on house music, R&B, and even jazz. Her relatability and candor—whether on the topic of struggling to stay friends with her exes, or wishing that she hated them when she doesn’t—is what makes listening to Grande’s music often feel like catching up with an old friend, or like a form of therapy. Happily, none of that has changed. 

Without further ado, here is a track-by-track breakdown of Eternal Sunshine.

1. Okay, we’re starting on a chill note. The intro track—“intro (end of the world)”—is giving mellow. There are guitar riffs, some strings, and beautiful harmonies. It kind of sounds the way a warm hug on a cold winter’s day feels. Grande sings, “If it all ended tomorrow, would I be the one on your mind? Would you be the one on mine?” 

2. It’s clearly a song about wondering if the other person cares about you as much as you care for them. Life’s big mystery, huh? But one this is for certain: The vocals are vocal-ing. Love.

3. Next up is “bye.” There’s a bit of ’70s disco flair to this one, but with some punchy synths. There’s a bounciness to Ariana’s tracks that I can’t quite compare to anyone else’s; they make you want to skip through an open grassy field with a lover, or throw it back through sobs on the dance floor. There’s no in between!

4. She’s singing about a boy she just broke up with in the driveway. “Bye, bye, I’m taking what’s mine,” she sings. “Bye, bye, it’s over again.” We’ve all had that one fling that we can’t quit—even if we know that they’re not good for us—but this is an anthem for the duds we finally let go. Sometimes, as she sings, you just have to say boy, bye.