Young kid’s channel star breaking into the music scene? We’ve all seen it done before, often leading to a short, somewhat successful career for the actor/actress. Fortunately, Grande seems to have bridged successfully from teen star to an adult on the cusp of becoming a seasoned singer.
Now, I’m not going to be one of those reviewers that says “She’s going to be the next Mariah Carey…Christina Aguilera…blah blah and so on”. No. Grande is a singer on her own terms, a force to be reckoned with. With her second album, she is proving to the world that Ariana Grande is not going to be just another face you used to see on the television screen.
Intro starts out the album. It is, as the name blatantly puts it, an introduction. It is a darn good one at that. With minimal music to hold back her voice, she croons few words, but it hits you hard.
The two songs that became singles off of the standard edition, Problem and Break Free are the two most upbeat, mainstream songs on the album. Break Free has a good electronic background done by Zedd. The best thing about the song is the message, talking about, what else, breaking free from your old self. Problem, with sassy saxophones and a (even though I hate to admit it) a verse rapped WELL by Ms. Iggy Azalea, star of the season, is a song you will not be getting out of you head anytime soon. I didn’t think I would be one for rap, but if you are looking for that, you will find it on this album. The best from this standpoint is Break Your Heart Right Back, sampling Diana Ross’ I’m Coming Out and featuring rapping from Childish Gambino. It is a creative little bit, and he performs it well.
One Last Time is the standout on this album, featuring just Ariana and her voice, no rap appearances here. Her vocals shine on this song and the star she really is comes out. Why Try is also a close second. She belts the chorus, and you know she does not have to try hard to get it out. It comes naturally. You have to admit, this girl can sing. These two songs are the proof.
On the deluxe edition, Bang Bang featuring the powerful vocals from Jesse J and the extremely fast rapping of Nicki Minaj is a jubilee you can’t help but join. The lyrics are funny and the song overall is just a fast-paced little party. You can’t help but smile when you hear the song.
Even if you don’t like pop-R&B, like I normally don’t, you will fully enjoy this album. Ariana actually has a chance of being a child star that sticks around, and I’ll be happy to watch her grow.
Beautifully Bipolar 