“Something bout you, makes me feel like a dangerous woman,” are the words slithering out of Ariana Grande’s plump pink coated lips. Her third album titled Dangerous Woman branches away from her past musical endeavors as Ms. Grande is now a full grown woman, although she remains at a tiny 5′ 0″ tall with a net worth of $25 million.
Grande has been doing pop right since day one; catchy lyrics, a hop on the EDM wagon, pop synths for days, and flawless harmonies. Dangerous Woman is a lethal album, torching every other pop sound in the way. With the help of musical God Max Martin, who’s worked with almost every pop artist in the game (Maroon 5, Taylor Swift, Katy Perry, etc), Grande’s album is destined for success.
Add guest artists like Lil Wayne, Future, Nicki Minaj, and Macy Gray, and the album becomes a show of who can Ariana NOT sound good with. She pushes her musical limits mixing more dance/hip-hop/r&b elements than we’ve heard from the singer before. She also keeps her vocal runs we so desperately crave i.e. “Dangerous Woman,” “Be Alright,” and “Greedy.”
Not only is the album a slice of musical heaven, but the advertising behind it was brilliant in every way. Ariana had originally planned on calling her album Moonlight, then decided to change the name to Dangerous Woman, highlighting the changes she’s gone through over the past year. After posting pictures and quotes of dangerous women in history to motivate, fans became more excited for the album. Her style shifted to more of an edgy vibe; something that suits her well. The cover artwork for Dangerous Woman is Grande in a black latex cat face mask, showing a sexier side of the singer.
Image: urbanislandz.com
It’s very easy to put Grande in a category with every other pop star, but we shouldn’t. Woman is proof of her own sound; romantic pop. Each song takes you on a gorgeous journey through love and relationships. She swoons over her crushes, pain, and longing for real love. “Thinking Bout You” takes on the theme of loss as Grande sings, “I don’t have you here with me, but at least I have the memory.” Her voice couldn’t be more impeccable if she tried. Everything about Dangerous Woman is an addicting force in the music world.
Ariana Grande: The reincarnated pop Queen our kingdom has been longing for.
Friday was not only April Fools Day. It was the day we got introduced to Mr. and Mrs. Twenty88 -AKA- Rapper Big Sean and flowerchild R&B princess Jhene Aiko. After listening to this album, you’ll WISH and PRAY that they someday get together. The two have collabed in the past with “Beware” off Sean’s 2013’s Hall of Fame and “I Know” off of his 2015 album Dark Sky Paradise. But Twenty88 is different. Both Aiko and Sean turned 28 in March of this year and both were born in 1988, which is why 88 makes so much sense.
Each song is smooth, clear, addicting, and just plain beautiful. Even a song with such a harsh title; “Selfish” keeps a dance-y tropical vibe that leaves romantic notions in your head. Aiko’s vocals remain as pure as ever, convincing you that she’s an angel on Earth. “Late night, texting, phone off, no stressing, how could you be so selfish?” the two harmonize as they deal with real-life 2016 problems.
Image: missinfo.tv
I didn’t know how much I needed this duo until I heard this album. Aiko can rap and curse just like the best of them, she’s just prettier at it. Sean keeps his rhythmic flow and respects the chill element Aiko needs in her music. Both have a sultry musical quality that brings hip-hop and R&B together in a cohesive way. Think about drinking hard liquor in a floral dress, that’s Twenty88. Heavy bass on “Push It” brings sexy to the forefront. Elements of a classic R&B song is heard in Aiko’s subtle backup vocals, while Sean raps about his plans with his lady later…
Aiko recently told Flaunt magazine, “Music now doesn’t really cater to the feelings of a real relationship, It’s all about trapping and bragging. I feel like this project is something that’s needed right now. The whole idea of the man and woman duet, especially a whole project, is just good for people to see. That duality is a perfect combination.”
Now let me go grab some wine and take a bubble bath while I listen to this on repeat.
Music blogger 