Ariana Grande, Sweetener
Ariana Grande has had a rough couple of years. First there was the 2017 bombing at her Manchester concert that left 22 dead, followed by her very public split from rapper Mac Miller and his death several months later (which some of his fans callously blamed on Grande and their breakup). All of this could understandably be enough to level someone, but listening to Sweetener—the ponytailed pop-star’s fourth and most outstanding LP, released in August—it becomes clear that she possesses Hulk-like emotional strength to go along with those pipes (which have earned her comparisons to Mariah Carey). Across 15 tracks, Grande works through PTSD and anxiety (“Breathin,” “Get Well Soon”), finds power in her own resilience (“No Tears Left to Cry,” the anthem of summer 2018 and also my heart), and welcomes new love into her life (“R.E.M.,” “Pete Davidson”). She also sings openly about two things women often get flak for: her “Successful” career and her sexuality (the Madonna-inspired “God Is a Woman”). Sweetener sounds alternately dreamy and frenzied, like Grande’s emerging from her gossamer grief cocoon to see the blinding-white light of day. These songs—which are further enhanced by strings, funk-infected beats, and the outstanding work of producers like Pharrell Williams—feel validating, empowering, and also kind of revolutionary. A famous pop star made a record about the process of healing herself from massive trauma; that’s pretty cool. CIARA DOLAN