Ariana Grande - Petal
“What’s happening now? / You studied my crown, and borrowed my body”.
Or at least, that was the common misconception many fans held while counting down the days until the release of Ariana Grande’s eighth studio album. Petal arrives at a highly unexpected yet crucial time in her career. Following the release of Eternal Sunshine, she starred as the beloved Glinda alongside Cynthia Erivo’s Elphaba in Wicked. She then released the deluxe edition of Eternal Sunshine, subtitled Brighter Days Ahead; made her directorial debut with the accompanying Brighter Days Ahead short film, which won an MTV Video Music Award for Video of the Year; and has since kicked off the Eternal Sunshine Tour. Despite Ariana being nothing short of a busy woman, juggling one of the busiest periods of her career, Petal shows no signs of an artist slowing down.
Kicking off the era was “hate that i made you love me”, both a restrained and unexpected choice. Rather than chasing an instant pop hit as her previous lead singles showcased, “hate that i made you love me” leans into a softer, dreamier atmosphere rather than forcing itself around a formulaic hit structure, allowing Ariana’s emotional writing to feel more personal than polished. Her vocal tone is noticeably deeper, with the production carrying a subtle nuance that evokes a sense of melancholy and regret. As the single settled in, however, it gradually won listeners over, becoming an unexpected force on the charts. That shift only fuelled speculation surrounding Petal, with many expecting the album to blend the sounds of Ariana’s past eras with a modern twist – the very misconception hinted at the start.
Petal is an album that is unmistakably Ariana, though here, she boldly experiments with a range of sounds, pushing her into new territory. Rather than chasing radio-ready hooks, the record embraces textured production and songwriting that rewards focused attention, allowing its atmosphere to remain a vital part of the album. It often feels more interested in establishing a mood than delivering instant gratification, demanding repeat listens as subtle details reveal themselves over time. This philosophy is evident on the opening track “kiss me”, which begins with glitchy synths that descend into chaos before Ariana takes centre stage. Throughout the rest of the track, she experiments with flourishes of indietronica, which pair nicely with her smooth vocal tone, making for one of her most irresistible tracks to date.
The title track is undoubtedly the album’s biggest highlight – maybe even one of her career highlights. Lyrically, the song explores breaking free from the constant pressure to turn her personal suffering into artistic validation. Not only is it one of her most vulnerable efforts lyrically, but its adventurous production sees Ariana expanding her sonic palette in exciting new directions. While Ariana’s vocals remain the centerpiece, the dramatic, ever-shifting instrumental arrangements prove just as compelling, mirroring the emotional weight of the lyrics. This encapsulates everything the remainder of Petal sets out to achieve.
As Petal progresses, the instrumental compositions become increasingly intriguing, revealing new layers with each listen. For instance, “oh well” sees Ariana borrowing a trick from the PinkPantheress playbook, blending her usual clash of pop and R&B with UK garage – a formula many artists have attempted, yet few have executed as effortlessly as she does. Its intricate rhyme schemes and melodic phrasing allow the garage influences to feel natural rather than imitative. Elsewhere, “bad thing (bunny hop)” revisits a new wave sound that inspired many recognisable hits, such as “Blinding Lights” by The Weeknd or Harry Styles’s “As It Was”. Like those songs, “bad thing (bunny hop)” thrives on driving percussion and an instantly infectious melodic pulse. The closing track “nowhere, nobody” once again draws from garage influences, though far more minimally, with its cosy, vocoder-tinged vocals establishing a sense of comfort captured in the chorus: “There’s nowhere, nobody else that I’d rather be with”.
What prevents the album from elevating itself to something truly remarkable and becoming an entirely flawless effort is its occasional tendency to play things a little too safe. The run from “big feelings” to “never get over me” is filled with authentic, well-crafted songs, yet they rarely tip the scales beyond the stylistic boundaries already established on the record. Meanwhile, the record’s sole interlude “warning signs” hints at fascinating new experimentation, though its ideas feel too compelling to be shortened into such a brief runtime, leaving it as one of the album’s only missed opportunities.
Otherwise, Petal is a clear standout effort across Ariana Grande’s discography. It isn’t the blend of her past eras that many speculated, nor is it a complete reinvention of her artistry. Instead, it’s a successful pivot in the right direction. The question, then, isn’t “What’s happening now?” – it’s what Ariana Grande will do next.
8.5/10
