Why Ariana Grande's "Sweetener" was a disappointment after another

[SJAG 1,597]

2 minutes ago, JohnnyVersace said:

But your whole post talks about how she's not mature enough, doesn't acknowledge the terrorist attack in the right way, isn't feminist enough, and relies on sex to write songs. But what's wrong with that? Several Gaga songs can be boiled down to vapid, sex-focused lyrics, but it's about the imagery and performances that drive a point home. Ariana's done the same thing (obviously w different themes). 

I think that the critique we give pop music these days, and the need for it to be "deep" or overly meaningful stunts the artistic growth. Sweetener, imo, is largely about the sounds, the production, the vocals, the vibes. 

And yet, this is the same forum that constantly condemns the current state of pop, and so so desperately pleads for the days of Rihanna, Katy, Britney, pop Nicki, Kesha, etc. But, let's not forget that the 2008-2014 period of pop was LARGELY categorized by "let's live our life tonight before we get old and party and drink and dance" songs. So, were those failures because they relied on party messages, and lacked a deep message?

We have finally received an album that isn't trying to shove some bullshit, fabricated, semi-aware message down our throats, and look at how it's getting dragged here. Tons of threads about how awful, or boring, or meaningless, or "wrong" this album is. It's POP ****ING MUSIC. She doesn't have to be an expert on feminism, or be the anti-terrorist political activist of 2018. She's inspired by ****, and romance, and sex, and "vibing," and imo bashing that is a terrible ciritism of an album. 

Despite the fact that I don't like some of the songs on the album, it's not that bad, do I have to repeat myself so much? I'm not criticizing Ariana Grande for writing generic pop songs, that's a genre I usually like. I'm not hating on her for not releasing a soulfoul and heartfelt ballad in honour of the terrorist attack (which she did with an upbeat song, but she didn't have to do it) and I'm not saying she portrayed women in the wrong way, GIAW was just an example on how she dediced do focus more on sexuality than empowering mental abilities or such, once again, she didn't have to do it, but in my humble opinion, with such a strong title, I expected it to be more of a statement instead of a "my *** will make you believe God is a woman" kind of song. What I didn't quite understand (but did not criticized) was the public reaction to it, and I was simply wondering how such a basic (not necesserely in a bad way) album could get so much positive comments, and could be called "mature" and "adult".

At this point I don't know how to express my feelings about "Sweetener" anymore, I shared my thoughts in a very complicated way so I'm sure there was a lot of misunderstanding.

I decided to highlight "she didn't have to do it" and "expected" because that are the key points of this whole thread. What I was trying to say is that she is free to release a song about whatever she wants and she doesn't have to do things just because people are expecting it. But as I already said, expectations were, in "Sweetener" case, a blessing and a curse.

[JohnnyVersace 8,982]

1 minute ago, SJAG said:

Despite the fact that I don't like some of the songs on the album, it's not that bad, do I have to repeat myself so much? I'm not criticizing Ariana Grande for writing generic pop songs, that's a genre I usually like. I'm not hating on her for not releasing a soulfoul and heartfelt ballad in honour of the terrorist attack (which she did with an upbeat song, but she didn't have to do it) and I'm not saying she portrayed women in the wrong way, GIAW was just an example on how she dediced do focus more on sexuality than empowering mental abilities or such, once again, she didn't have to do it, but in my humble opinion, with such a strong title, I expected it to be more of a statement instead of a "my *** will make you believe God is a woman" kind of song. What I didn't quite understand (but did not criticized) was the public reaction to it, and I was simply wondering how such a basic (not necesserely in a bad way) album could get so much positive comments, and could be called "mature" and "adult".

At this point I don't know how to express my feelings about "Sweetener" anymore, I shared my thoughts in a very complicated way so I'm sure there was a lot of misunderstanding.

I decided to highlight "she didn't have to do it" and "expected" because that are the key points of this whole thread. What I was trying to say is that she is free to release a song about whatever she wants and she doesn't have to do things just because people are expecting it. But as I already said, expectations were, in "Sweetener" case, a blessing and a curse.

But you're just backing up my post! Yes, it's a strong title (GIAW). But what a brilliant way to actually touch on the topic of feminism, and relate it to her perspective and interests. And yet, the title still exists, even if it is a sex song. That phrase is on the charts, for every womanizing mother****er to see, and to hear, while she croons to such a catchy beat about that good D. It's pretty brilliant, actually. 

I think where you're missing the point on Sweetener, is that honestly, you were expecting it to be some deep, emotional delve into the attack, and being a woman, and somehow empowering the masses...and it's just simply not that. That being said, that isn't a reason to knock it. You're faulting it for what it isn't due to your own expectations, rather than taking it for what it is (which you acknowledged). 

I don't want to ask your age, because perhaps you are deeply mature and emotional, and your age isn't a factor. But this girl has been through a lot, and has lost lives, and love, and gained new love within a short time. Imo, maturity at some point is also allowing life to exist and move on and take a deep breath. Dwelling, and digging into emotion, and forcing depth can hinder maturity and growth. Perhaps this is her most mature and adult work to date because she's just vibing, and is intensely dedicated to just spreading positivity.

[OBEY 57,109]

The album is very good.

Not you bringing Pete Davidson into an album review  

[manuanota 392]

The album is not the worst, but I just can’t stand her new invented “yuh” in every song about 200 times during the album. 

[lgaga1fan 2,305]

Wasn't the whole point of the album to bring happiness to people's lives and help make other people happy? That in itself is a mature theme for an artist who had their last 2 projects focus on trying to make themselves look sexier and more grown. Pharrell's tracks clearly aren't your style, and that isn't a bad thing, but what Pharrell was able to bring out of her was something that we have literally never seen from her before. She has clearly come into her own on this record. Also, I think you are forgetting that the main goal of these artist's music is to be sold to a wide audience. At the end of the day, this is just pop music. No Tears Left to Cry was clearly the best move that they could have made, because it perfectly summed up the meaning of the entire record and her emotions toward the incident, while also being able to life other people up (aka the entire theme of the album).

[yes 561]

When you say GIAW was disappointing, is it because you were expecting an Into You 2.0? 

If so, I don't understand why y'all are expecting her to release songs like that. She hates doing edm/pop.

[Littleswiftie 24]

I really love No Tears Left To Cry, The Light Is Coming is a grower bop and God Is A Woman is decent. Breathin' slays The other tracks on other hand... I expected something more deeper. She said she had added 5 very emotional ballads at the last moment but there aren't any ballads on the album. It just destroys the meaning of "Sweetener". Making trash songs doesn't make life better..

 

Remember this is her fourth album, which means she could have suffered from the 4th album curse (Witness, ARTPOP, Bionic, Queen) and she did indeed; God Is A Woman underperformed, The Light Is Coming flopped, the music videos for TLIC and GIAW underperformed after the NTLTC mv success and there isn't much opportunity for a next single, only Breathin'. She gets hate because of her weird relationship with Pete Davidson and we all expected her to be wiser and more mature but we still see those duckfaces on Instagram and stuff. Her likes on Instagram have also decreased horribly. Her whole reputation has changed, yet stayed the same.

[SJAG 1,597]

8 hours ago, JohnnyVersace said:

But you're just backing up my post! Yes, it's a strong title (GIAW). But what a brilliant way to actually touch on the topic of feminism, and relate it to her perspective and interests. And yet, the title still exists, even if it is a sex song. That phrase is on the charts, for every womanizing mother****er to see, and to hear, while she croons to such a catchy beat about that good D. It's pretty brilliant, actually. 

I think where you're missing the point on Sweetener, is that honestly, you were expecting it to be some deep, emotional delve into the attack, and being a woman, and somehow empowering the masses...and it's just simply not that. That being said, that isn't a reason to knock it. You're faulting it for what it isn't due to your own expectations, rather than taking it for what it is (which you acknowledged). 

I don't want to ask your age, because perhaps you are deeply mature and emotional, and your age isn't a factor. But this girl has been through a lot, and has lost lives, and love, and gained new love within a short time. Imo, maturity at some point is also allowing life to exist and move on and take a deep breath. Dwelling, and digging into emotion, and forcing depth can hinder maturity and growth. Perhaps this is her most mature and adult work to date because she's just vibing, and is intensely dedicated to just spreading positivity.

Exactly, but once again you're missing the point of my thread. I shared my mixer feelings about it but I didn't want it to be just an album review. I was talking more about how people expectations and hype ruined for me the album. I know "Sweetener" is in fact just a Sweetener. A simple and upbeat album to make people happy and in the end I like it for how it is. I just wanted to show how the public affects opinions. I avere with "God is a woman" being a statement itself. It doesn't really need a song attached to it ahaha, but I was just trying to say what I wanted the song to be, but it's just my opinion.

[SJAG 1,597]

8 hours ago, OBEY said:

The album is very good.

Not you bringing Pete Davidson into an album review  

I did It the wrong way, I admit It, but you can easily bring Davidson in the album review since he inspired it.

[SJAG 1,597]

6 hours ago, lgaga1fan said:

Wasn't the whole point of the album to bring happiness to people's lives and help make other people happy? That in itself is a mature theme for an artist who had their last 2 projects focus on trying to make themselves look sexier and more grown. Pharrell's tracks clearly aren't your style, and that isn't a bad thing, but what Pharrell was able to bring out of her was something that we have literally never seen from her before. She has clearly come into her own on this record. Also, I think you are forgetting that the main goal of these artist's music is to be sold to a wide audience. At the end of the day, this is just pop music. No Tears Left to Cry was clearly the best move that they could have made, because it perfectly summed up the meaning of the entire record and her emotions toward the incident, while also being able to life other people up (aka the entire theme of the album).

The thoughts behind the album didn't really translate into the songs in my opinion. But you're right, "Sweetener" point is to bring happiness, but I wasn't denying that. Mine was a commentary about people (disappointed in my opinion) expectations.

[Katsuki Bakugo 9,788]

Pharrell is not that good of a producer. His work always falls flat...

[Didymus 34,379]

It's definitely overrated but I wouldn't say it's a disappointment either. It's just a follow-up to what she's been doing successfully for a few years now.

I doubt anyone sees her as a mature artist, that's not even her brand, I don't think she wants to be perceived as such personally, not even with a song like GIAW.

Right now she's the safe, pretty, young and talented pop star with cross-over appeal (genre and age group wise) and she can be easily forgotten if someone eclipses her. I'm proud of her and her team for maintaining her momentum and increasing her success step by step. But I do wonder if everything's going to fall apart when she reaches 30. I mean, who seriously wants to hear Ariana at that age?