Ariana Grande steps back into the music scene once again with her eighth studio album, Petal. The listener is softly guided into this new era through the gentle melodic opening of the first track, ‘kiss me’, one which instantly defies the original expectations of the album as Grande offers an alternative creative scope in comparison to the album’s predecessors. The lyrics – “You know I don’t believe I belong” – present a pure, authentic narrative, stripping back the glamorous fabrication that pop music often falls into.

Petal’s single, ‘Hate that I made you love me’, is an honest expression of regret in a relationship and whilst it seemingly makes its point through the safety of repetition, the pre-chorus works beautifully to ascend the track to a greater level of clarity and harmony.

The title track cuts into the album with a sharp opening, immediately reminiscent of Grande’s past eras. The chorus plays out almost like an older, mature development of the singer’s unreleased song ‘Ridiculous’. The vocal echoes after “paradise” and the defining bass inspiring a more unforgiving attitude that the album has not yet seen. As a whole, the song works to completely contrast its gentle, delicate title and take ownership of Grande’s built-up frustration.

‘Stay’ opens with oscillating xylophone-like synthesisers, welcoming the track with a bubbly, techno rhythm. The lyrics in themselves can be interpreted almost as an articulation of Grande’s longing for stability and permanence, declaring her reluctance to find herself as “just another corrected experience.”

The fifth track, ‘oh well’, sees Grande freeing herself from any lingering negativity, keeping her mantra of “good things can replace dysfunction, obsession, friends I used to need” as the looping beat rides through each healing note. However, the track occasionally loses focus as the lyrics appear somewhat disjointed at times.

‘Big feelings’ provides a second sample of the energy ‘Petal’ performed, breaking up the somewhat innocence of the album. Grande’s explicit, sexual energy greatly empowers the track, sustaining the atmosphere with both overt, sensual references and sly metaphors. ‘Big feelings’ is a vastly enjoyable listen both melodically and lyrically, effectively giving Grande the opportunity to prove her consistent talent.

“I won’t give you your fantasy this time”, is a bold statement of ownership — exactly what ‘freak’ aims to serve as. Grande’s immediate assertion is honestly admirable. However, for such demanding and impassioned lyrics, it feels as though the vocals fall behind on fully emphasising her emotion. The lyrics almost slice the soft instrumentals, but a full expression of Grande’s frustrated conviction complete with louder, harsher tones would have fully completed this declaration of resistance.

‘Freak’ fades into a short interlude, one which blends perfectly and meets my expectations of the raw, vocal emotion the previous track lacked. ‘Warning signs’ could have very easily grown to be its own track, its short life already promising and exciting.

The ninth track delivers a full dose of controlled, meticulous rage. The line “I’m still Grande” perfectly summarises just how not only incredibly culturally relevant Grande still is but also how her name works to rise above each shot fired in her way in this collected yet spiteful response.

‘Never get over me’ continues this refreshing wave of confidence, the opening synth painting a vibrant image already brimming with life from the first thirty seconds. The chorus is incredibly catchy, the emphasis of “you’ll never get over me” keeping Grande completely on her own authority.

The penultimate track, ‘bad thing (bunny hop)’, is a racing track seemingly about the risk love can possess, the dazing, rushing sense of it all repeated through the unserious realisation, “this is a bad thing”. Listening to the track, I couldn’t help but wish Grande’s full vocal potential was used, more specifically in the chorus. The pre-chorus builds beautifully but the lack of a piercingly powerful high note is definitely prevalent within the song.

The album concludes with ‘nowhere, nobody’, a sweetly self-assuring track. The chorus is heavily inspired by the likes of Imogen Heap, a feature that stands out terrifically for me and further adds value to such a sentimental, present moment in the album.

Overall, ‘Petal’ effectively showcases Grande’s ability to experiment and explore musically outside of her signature style, something which is very admirable as she still proves her talent even eight albums in. Whilst a wider vocal range is something that is certainly deficient in some tracks, Grande makes sure to incorporate alternative creative elements that definitely do not go unnoticed throughout the album.

Ariana Grande: Petal – 31 July 2026 (Republic Records)

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