Ariana Grande: The Evolution From Girl Next Door, To Girl On Fire
Music careers generally take time to make a tactful impact on people, especially when the new artists haven’t been on the scene for very long. So, it can seem ludicrous that Ariana Grande and her exceptional pop breakthrough happened less than a decade ago . Her first album, Yours Truly (with the single “The Way”) got people interested in her artistry in 2013, and most recently , her phenomenal fourth (Sweetener) and fifth albums ( Thank U, Next) were added to her discography. This makes her one of the few artists to experience almost an entire scope of the music industry. One of the main reasons for Grande’s groundbreaking stardom is that she was a fresh-faced Nickelodeon teen star on Victorious, and the spinoff Sam &Cat by her 2013 pop debut. The track “The Way” reached the top 10 of the Billboard hot 100, making her an A- list celeb before many adults all over the world heard of her - the complete global pop sensation. It’s so hard to scroll on a social media account and not see Ariana Grande excelling ( and turning heads while she does it).
As we all know, Grande won her first ever Grammy this year for her Album Sweetener ( Best Pop Vocal Album) which has become one of her most mature albums on fears, love ,and having a sense of security that deals with the tragedies after the Manchester attack, the death of her ex-boyfriend Mac Miller, and her world-wind engagement to Pete Davidson. Although she achieved the award, she has not hesitated to say “thank u, next” to the Recording Academy ( how real is she for that).
Reportedly, Grande declined to go to the awards ceremony because show producer Ken Ehrlich wouldn’t allow her to perform the single “7 Rings” . He allegedly lied and told the press that she “ felt like it was too late for her to pull something together” in the time frame that they had, although it was far from the truth. She eventually went on to suggest three more songs , only to feel like she had no creative expression in what she felt in her heart was poignant enough to perform.
This wouldn’t be the first time that Grammy producers tried to put their feet on the breaks when it comes to what performers could and couldn’t perform. Other instances include Lorde being nominated for Album of the Year, but did not get selected for a solo slot, turning down the chance to sing the Tom Petty tribute. As a result, she ended up tweeting, “If you’re debating whether or not I can murder a stage . . . come see it for urself” before adding a link to upcoming tour dates ( this is the kind of shade I’m not afraid to stan ).
I’m really inclined to believe that because Grande has been in the music industry for years now, she gets irritated when herself and other artists can’t express ( creatively) what they want to on their own time, continuing the feeling of being a caged bird and unoriginality. Grande is neither the perceived idea of a diva nor has the ability to have a plummeted career . The moments that she had on Twitter that seemed angsty and uncouth are merely reflections of discouragement by the way things are around her in the industry, and the control they have on the artists involved .
If people want to call her a diva and problematic trust me, she has no time to entertain things that don’t serve her. She continues to create meaningfully artistic records that will stand the test of time. This is important as her sound grows through the trials and tribulations of love and loss, strengthening her awareness and maturity of the art that can be created out of past and present experiences. Considering that she is an artist of her own magnitude, she’s truly an iconic and dangerous woman.
cover via Instagram
