Since Ariana Grande has starred in two Nickelodeon shows (Victorious and its spin off Sam and Cat) she has built a name for herself within the music industry, releasing six studio albums and winning two Grammy Awards. Her first song to hit the Billboard Hot 100 was “The Way” featuring Mac Miller and her career skyrocketed from that point on. It is seen in recent years that her music has started to drift away from upbeat pop songs and has become more emotional and raw, as displayed in her seventh studio album, “eternal sunshine”, released on March 8, 2024.
Grande has shared that this album is inspired by the 2004 film Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind which explores key themes including the inseperable link between identity and memory, the nature of love as imperfect and transformative as well as the importance of embracing pain and negative experiences. This is reflected perfectly in the album, as the tracks shift from the pain and confusion of a doomed relationship to the hope and liberation of a new, healthier love.
The significance of many songs on the album (and the significance behind them) can be traced back to her relationship with real estate broker Dalton Gomez. The two met in 2020 during the COVID epidemic, and got engaged shortly after. In July 2023, the couple ended up separating. Sources close to the couple speculate that they were not a good fit and had difficulty making time for each other due to demanding careers, which is showcased through eternal sunshine if listeners dig deeper into the meaning behind each track.
One particular song that stands out to me is the title track “eternal sunshine,” which reflects on the pain of betrayal from a past relationship. In the second verse, she mentions a plot from the aforementioned movie, in which the main character tries to erase his memory from his past relationship, just as Grande wants to forget the pain her partner has caused her. The verses are written as “So I try to wipe my mind // Just so I feel less insane // Rather feel painless // I’d rather forget than know.” In the opening section of the song, Grande reflects on her partner’s habit of lying and as the song progresses she persuades herself to no longer feel sorry for him.
Another track that weaves into this concept is “we can’t be friends (wait for your love)”. The song itself reflects on the end of a relationship, and the realization Grande has, which is that she and her former partner cannot be friends because Grande cannot be her genuine self around him. (“I didn’t think you’d understand me//How could you ever even try?”). The music video also intertwines the storyline of Eternal Sunshine of The Spotless Mind back into the music, as Grande is seen getting her memories erased, just as the two main characters did in the film.
After the original album received four Grammy nominations and surpassed four-billion streams on Spotify, Grande released a deluxe album on March 28, 2025, titled “eternal sunshine deluxe: brighter days ahead” with six new additions to the tracklist. This extension to the album differs from the songs on the original one because it is less focused on heartbreak and more focused on providing an optimistic outlook after all that Grande has gone through in past relationships.
One song in particular that stands out in the deluxe record is “twilight zone.” The lyrics of this song are an honest goodbye to the chapter of her life with her ex-husband. “And it’s not like I’m still not over you // It’s so strange, this I never do // Not that I miss you, I don’t // Sometimes, I just can’t believe // You happened.” This reaffirms the purpose of the deluxe tracks, which is to provide some closure.
In summary, “eternal sunshine” is much more unfiltered than Ariana Grande’s past albums, as it gives a realistic view into the hurting and healing that comes with a relationship. The album is wrapped up with the tune “ordinary things (feat. Nonna)” which is about valuing everyday moments, even in a time of heartbreak and concludes with a spoken outro from her late grandmother, whom Grande called Nonna.
