Fans went crazy over the release of the album eternal sunshine by Ariana Grande last April and are even more excited about the recent release of the deluxe version. Eternal sunshine deluxe: brighter days ahead incorporates six new songs that expand on the emotions and heartbreak Grande conveyed in the initial album. Fans are introduced to new themes in these songs showing Grande’s personal growth and journey of healing after the heartbreak she sang about one year ago. Each track contributes its own meaning to the overall structure of the deluxe album, that fans are able to analyze and enjoy.
The first track of six tracks on the album is “intro (end of the world) – extended.” This song is an extended version of track 1 on the regular album. The song originated with an opening asking the question, “How can I tell if I’m in the right relationship?” This version explores an experience in which Grande felt unloved or unheard in her relationship, expanding on how her partner did not realize the impact his actions had on her until it was too late. Despite this song only having about a minute of added lyrics, the song shows the vocal ability and songwriting skills Grande has, delivering a song of pure emotion in just a few verses.
Drawing inspiration from the popular TV series, “Twilight Zone,” track two explores themes of emotional attachment and disbelief of a past relationship. Grande reflects on a past love and finds herself having difficulty distinguishing between the true and false parts of her relationship. She describes the love as an “actor” showing how now looking back at their time together, she was unaware of whether or not any of it was real.
The third new track, “Warm,” shifts the mood to a more comforting listening experience. Grande speaks on how her healing has allowed her to find a new state of mind and is open to exploring a new relationship. After the growth and healing done following her heartbreak, Grande is finally in a place where she is the happiest version of herself. Although she has found this new self-love and confidence, she acknowledges that life is not complete without the comfort of love. This track gives a powerful message to its listeners, that while life may be warmer in the embrace of another, you can be the best version of yourself without it as well.
In “Dandelion,” Ariana uses the flower as a metaphor for short-lived moments and unfulfilled wishes. Through the use of descriptive lyrics, Grande wishes upon a dandelion for a meaningful relationship with her significant other, hoping to fulfill their dreams together. The dandelion is symbolic of love and destiny, where it’s believed if you blow all the seeds off a dandelion in one breath you are destined to a future with someone you love. It’s a reflective piece that expresses the romantic desires toward a loved one, proving to them you are ready for a relationship.
“Past Life” dives into the idea of previous connections and the emotions they leave behind. She repeats the lyric, “I’m fine to leave you in the past,” as a way for Grande to express how she wants to leave a relationship in the past and continue with the new chapter of her life. The song shows a shift in her feelings towards her past partner, going from them being her “medicine” to “code blue.”
The final song, “Hampstead” is a powerful track that explores Grande’s relationship with her audience and the media in the past years. Its message tells listeners that though Grande has made mistakes throughout her life, she wouldn’t change anything about herself or what she has done to please the world.
