By Adesuwa Oyokomon (Contributor) – Email
Print Edition: October 9, 2013
Ariana Grande is famous for her roles as Cat Valentine on Nickelodeon’s Victorious and Sam and Cat and as Charlotte in 13 on Broadway. Yours Truly, her debut studio album, is a beautiful mixture of soul, R&B, adult contemporary, pop, and dance music, and an amazing love story.
Yours Truly features songs produced by Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds, Antonio Dixon, Mika, and Greg Wells (who produced One Republic’s hit “Apologize”).
The album begins with “Honeymoon Avenue,” co-written by Grande. The song opens with strings that launch you into a 1970s disco and stuns with doo-wop vocals. The vocals outshine the polished beats and leave you wanting to be “stuck / in bumper-to-bumper traffic” and go anywhere with that voice.
The second song on the album, “Baby I” opens with drums and the tempo accelerates for the chorus: “But every time I try to say it / words / they’ll only complicate it.”
GOOD Music’s rap artist Big Sean is featured on the third track, “Right There,” which samples The Jeff Lorber Fusion’s “Rain Dance.” A strong bass beat invites you into this dance track. Then “Tattooed Heart” slows things down with that amazing voice (which you’ll already have fallen in love with) paired with finger snaps, sleek beats, and piano. It has a real ‘50s feel and Grande even references the era in the lyrics: “I wanna say we’re going steady like it’s 1954.”
“Lovin’ It” speeds the album up again with an upbeat tempo, and “Piano” is definitely the pop song of summer 2013. I challenge you to listen to this feel-good dance track without bobbing your head, tapping your feet, or cracking a smile.
The seventh track, “Daydreamin’,” kicks off with piano and envelops you in melodies that make you want to re-enact Grease in your bedroom as you wait for Danny Zuko. “The Way,” featuring Mac Miller, was Grande’s first single – the song samples Big Pun and Joe’s “Still Not a Player” and Grande’s commanding vocals steal the spotlight from the percussive 1990s groove.
“You’ll Never Know” is a lovechild of R&B and pop. “You will never know what we could have been,” Grande croons.
The tenth song, “Almost Is Never Enough” is a marvellous ballad featuring The Wanted’s Nathan Sykes and is included in the soundtrack for The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones. Finger snaps, piano, and an astounding combination of vocals cause emotion to erupt in your heart.
“Popular Song” featuring Mika is the unofficial anthem for all the kids who were not popular in high school. First released with Priscilla Renae on Mika’s album The Origin of Love, the song’s chorus samples “Popular” from Steven Schwartz’s musical Wicked. The handclaps and wonderful vocals make it an awesome listen.
The last song, “Better Left Unsaid” is a stunning example of Grande’s powerful delivery of vocals.
Yours Truly is the perfect combination of R&B and retro pop, a first album with no better this year.
