Katia Temkin
There are very few pop stars who can disappear into Hollywood, headline one of the biggest tours of the year and then come back with an album that still manages to feel like a surprise. But that’s exactly what
has done with her eight studio album petal.
Following the success of eternal sunshine and after spending the last few years balancing music with her critically acclaimed role as Glinda in Wicked, it would’ve been easy to expect another collection of polished pop anthems. Instead, petal feels quieter, darker and much more interested in creating a mood than chasing obvious hits. It’s familiar enough to remind you it’s Ariana Grande, but different enough to make you wonder where she’ll go next.
The album wastes no time pulling you in. Opening track “kiss me” feels like stepping into an entirely different world. It’s dreamy, cinematic and instantly sets the tone for everything that follows. Rather than easing listeners into the record, Grande drops them straight into it, making for one of the strongest album openers she’s released.
We’ve already had time to live with “hate that i made you love me”, and hearing it in the context of the full album only makes it stronger. The darker production and sharper lyrics hinted that this era would sound different, and petal follows through on that promise. Even the title track carries that same feeling, showing a side of Ariana that feels more vulnerable without ever becoming predictable.
One thing Ariana has always been good at is making albums that are meant to be listened to from start to finish, and petal is no exception. Every song naturally flows into the next, but nowhere is that more obvious than the transition from “freak” into “warning signs (interlude)”. It’s one of those moments where you almost don’t realise the track has changed because it feels so seamless. It might only last a few seconds, but it’s easily one of the coolest moments on the record. “never get over me” is another standout. Lyrically, it feels like one of the most honest songs Grande has written in a long time. There’s something comforting about it too. While parts of the melody bring back flashes of the Ariana fans have loved for years, her vocals are what really make the song shine. She doesn’t need to over sing to remind everyone why she’s one of the best vocalists in pop.
Then there’s “bad thing (bunny hop)”, which completely caught me personally off guard but in the best way possible. It’s playful, a little chaotic and unlike anything else on the album. Grande has never been afraid to experiment, but this feels like another step forward. It’s the kind of song that makes you hit replay straight away, and it’s easily one of my favourites. Closing with “nowhere, nobody” feels like exactly the right decision. After taking listeners through heartbreak, self-reflection and uncertainty, the album ends on something unexpectedly peaceful. It doesn’t need a huge vocal climax or an explosive final chorus. Instead, it quietly lets everything settle, and somehow that makes the ending hit even harder.
What makes petal work so well isn’t that Ariana is trying to reinvent herself completely. She’s simply allowing herself to grow. Fifteen years into her career, she’s still finding new ways to tell her story without losing the voice that made people fall in love with her music in the first place. After seeing the success of The Eternal Sunshine Tour, including her sold-out nights at London’s O2 Arena, it’s clear this chapter already means a lot to fans. petal only strengthens that feeling. It doesn’t try to recreate the magic of thank u, next or eternal sunshine – it blooms into something entirely its own.