Less than six months after releasing “Sweetener,” Ariana Grande has released her fifth studio album, titled “thank u, next.” The album comes right after the untimely death of her ex-boyfriend Mac Miller and the end of her whirlwind romance with “Saturday Night Live’s” Pete Davidson. In summary, Grande has had a very rough year. Despite this, she’s still managed to release an album that is a stunning work of art.

Ariana Grande’s “thank u, next” was written over the span of just a few weeks, but that had no effect on the quality. The 25-year-old has definitely outdone herself with this very personal album covering a variety of different topics and musical styles. Though it has noticeable flaws, it’s a truly brilliant album that only reinforces Grande’s star power.

“imagine”

Grande starts off the album with an appealing ode to an ideal romance. In this mellow song, Grande sings about imagining a world in which her and a lover are in complete bliss. Additionally, she hits some pretty incredible whistle tones. The impressive song sets a high bar for the rest of the album.

“needy”

Reflective of its title, this song is about how Grande can sometimes be needy and how she does have emotional baggage. Grande’s airy vocals complement the simple beat, and there’s something bold about her openly admitting that she’s flawed. The song makes her seem more human despite her immense fame.

“NASA”

Two words on this song: it slaps. In this incredibly catchy tune, Grande sings about needing space from her lover. Connecting the two different meanings of space, she makes references to stars and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. In addition, this song conveys a really good message that is often overlooked, especially in the context of romantic relationships. It’s OK to need distance and time to focus on yourself and that doesn’t have to detract from how you feel about your significant other!

“bloodline”

In this upbeat track, Grande attempts to breakup with a romantic partner while contemplating how they actually feel about her. She sings about how perhaps their love was just for show, while also stating that she isn’t looking for the love of her life anymore; she just wants to have fun. It’s a good song, but the fact that it’s played right after “NASA” does make it fall somewhat flat.

“fake smile”

This moderately mellow track shows Grande singing about how she is thankful for all of the love and support she’s received. However, saying that the 25-year-old has gone through a lot would still be a pretty large understatement. In this track, she acknowledges that, saying that she’s not going to pretend to be happy or alright. The song reinforces a common theme in the album: it’s OK to not be completely OK. Additionally, the stylized vocals (where she enunciates, might I add, surprisingly well) seem to highlight both familiar and new parts of Grande’s voice.

“bad idea”

In this song, Grande sings about becoming involved with a lover just to get her mind off of things. Reflective of the song’s title, she knows this is a bad idea, but that doesn’t stop her; she repeats “forget about him, forget about him, forget about me” in the chorus. The beat itself sounds edgy, and the song makes one ponder how it may feel to do something so bold simply because it may satisfy your short-term desires.

“make up”

The shortest track on the album, this song is an ode to on-again off-again relationships and how good it feels to make up with someone after a falling out. The relaxed and light beat combines with Grande’s pretty vocals to serenade listeners about how much she loves the passion involved in making up with someone. The more you listen to this song, the better it gets.

“ghostin”

This is the most vulnerable and saddest song on the track. In Grande’s own words on Twitter, the song is about “feeling badly for the person you’re with bc you love somebody else. feeling badly bc he can tell he can’t compare.” Its musical arrangement, which some fans think is a loose sample of Mac Miller’s “2009,” is dreamy, but also contains a noticeable hint of melancholy. The sincere song is incredibly emotional, and it’s a great asset to an already wonderful album.

“in my head”

This hard-hitting track is about Grande realizing an ex wasn’t all she imagined him to be. The bold beat is reminiscent of a hip-hop track, and her lyrics aren’t any less forceful. She breezily sings the line “I saw your potential without seeing credentials,” and it resonates. Women often have a tendency to be very lenient on lackluster men they’re romantically involved with, in hopes that eventually they’ll change. Here Grande realizes that she overestimated the good qualities of the man she is leaving, and that he is not, in fact, going to improve.

“7 rings”

In Grande’s second single from “thank u, next,” she sings—and, oddly, raps—about using retail therapy to get her mind off of her problems. It’s an incredibly catchy song that immediately soared to the top of the charts, but the reception of the song has been generally…complicated. After a sample from Julie Andrews’ iconic “My Favorite Things,” the flow changes into a lowkey beat that sounds suspiciously like tracks by Princess Nokia, Soulja Boy and 2 Chainz. A part of me wants to like this song, but that’s hard to do so while reflecting on how problematic the video is, and how blatantly unoriginal the overall track is. The lavish consumerism omnipresent in the song seems like an ode to materialism, and it’s arguably the lowlight of the album. Additionally, a white woman repeating the phrase “you like my hair, gee thanks, just bought it” definitely rubs me the wrong way, considering black women are often ridiculed for wearing extensions and weaves. As an album, “thank u, next” is very strong, but unfortunately “7 rings” is a disappointment.

“thank u, next”

“thank u, next” is this album’s title track, and it’s incredible. Grande realizes that through both the good and the bad, her exes have taught her a number of valuable life lessons. In the track, she thanks them for this while also vowing to focus on bettering herself. As anyone with even a slight involvement in pop culture knows, this song became incredibly popular as soon as it was released, rightfully so. It’s an extraordinary breakup song, but it also has a very empowering message. It brings the kind of energy we need in 2019.

“break up with your girlfriend, I’m bored”

I’m not going to lie, this song is very catchy, and I could easily see it dominating radio stations. However, the message is highly problematic; begging a guy to breakup with his girlfriend to be with you is not a good look. Additionally, the track is a surprising choice to come right after “thank u, next” an anthem in which Grande reflects on past loves and decides to take a break from romance and instead focus on improving herself.