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TRACK BY TRACK: Ariana Grande's 'positions'
Written by Tyler Bey. Published: November 02 2020
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Vocal goddess Ariana Grande is back with her 6th studio album positions, which trades her traditional pop signatures for more of an R&B flare. Showing more of her salacious side, Ariana is officially not the teen girl we knew her as from "Victorious" anymore! With 14 songs and features from artists like Doja Cat and The Weeknd, Ariana Grande comes for the crown with positions.
Here’s a blow-by-blow breakdown of every song on the album so you can know what you might like before you give it a listen!
1. “shut up”
Starting out with a melodramatic and harmonic break-up song, Ariana suggests to an unnamed character, “Maybe you should shut up.” She brings back her rhythmic sing-talking, the same she uses on the likes of “7 rings”. Although we know Ariana can sang, songs like "shut up" make it much easier for the regular folks like me who can carry a tune okay to sing along too.
Favorite Lyrics: “How you be using your tongue? (How?) / You be so worried 'bout mine (Mine) / Can't even get yourself none / You know you sound so dumb (so dumb, so dumb)...”
2. “34+35”
Wait wait wait… Ariana’s talking about… sex?! Yes, everyone, it’s okay to say it: the sweet innocent Nickelodeon star has grown up! When you do the math, it’s clear what Ariana is talking about, and, well… there’s not much else to say about it. Vocally she did what she had to do as always!
Favorite Lyrics: “Can you stay up all night / F*** me
‘till the daylight”
3. “motive” (feat. Doja
Cat)
Let me paint a picture: it’s one of the last few minutes of a
long party and you just went hard. What kinda song do you want?
Something chill and relaxed while you vibe out with some friends
before you crash at home. This is exactly the song you wanna listen
to. With a feature from Doja Cat, “motive” is a chill bop
reminiscent of the same vibes Calvin Harris typically gets into.
Favorite Lyrics: “I could call bullshit out from a mile
away (Don't say) / You want me if you can keep comin' back for
me...”
4. “just like
magic”
With themes of manifesting riches and the power Ariana has at
her fingertips, “just like magic” is a pretty girl bop. Ariana
knows how powerful she is and it shows. This is actually one of the
first songs on the album where she starts to sing out, making this
a song you’ll definitely get stuck in your head… and maybe that too
is Ariana’s magic!
Favorite Lyrics: “Middle finger to my thumb and then I
snap it / Just like magic (oh), I'm attractive (ah,
yeah)...”
5. “off the table"
(feat. The Weeknd)
This song features The Weeknd, and even from the first few
seconds, it sounds so much like a song he’d be on. Leaning into the
drama of R&B, the slow thumping beat and sensual harmony allows
Ariana and The Weeknd to passionately sing their hearts out to each
other in classic '90s R&B fashion!
Favorite Lyrics: “Am I too cold? Am I not nice? / Might
not be quite yet healed already / Should I be goin' too steady?
(too steady)”
6. “six
thirty”
Getting back into her rhythmic sing-talking, Ariana gives us
another song we can sing along to. I can hear the kids singing this
song now riding past me on their way to school. Ariana is good at
giving us pretty bops and this is no exception. This song is full
of strong vocal choices; at one point she seems to be completely
whispering, and at another, it sounds like she’s rapping. The song
is simple and so much fun.
Favorite Lyrics: “I just wonder, baby, if you're gonna
stay / Even if, one day, I lose it and go crazy...”
7. “safety net" (feat.
Ty Dolla $ign)
You read that right -- featuring R&B’s favorite feature
and maybe the music industry's busiest artist (just because he
really is on SO many songs), Ty Dolla $ign is a
nice addition to the song. His ad-libs and harmonies elevate the
song to give it that replay factor. This is one of those songs that
you’d accidentally play twice on a car ride and not change it --
it’s just that good!
Favorite Lyrics: “I've never been this scared before /
Feelings I just can't ignore / Don't know if I should fight or fly
/ But I don't mind...”
8. “my
hair”
Instantly reading the title of this song I’m reminded of
Ariana’s complicated relationship with her hair; her signature
ponytail was born out of a protective measure to revive her
follicles after frying them on Nickelodeon sets. This is one of the
first times we’ve seen Ariana express strong positivity about her
hair, and it's warming to know her relationship with it has only
gotten better. The song itself is jazzy and funky enough to add to
your… sensuality playlist. Even featuring one of Ariana’s classic
whistle notes toward the end, the song is truly special!
Favorite Lyrics: “Usually
don't let people touch it / But tonight, you get a
pass...”
9.
“nasty”
This song will have you hot and steamy as Grande expresses
that tonight's the night she wants to get nasty. Lyrics aside,
Ariana’s production on this track is slowed down and stripped back,
making it easy to dance and sing along to.
Favorite Lyrics: “Boy, you know the vibes, I don't waste
no time / Take what's on your mind, make it real
life...”
10. “west
side”
Coming in in the album's third act, “west side” is one of
those songs on your Get Ready playlist that’s more about dancing in
the mirror than actually getting ready. It’s about following your
feelings and leaning into the person you know you love, even if
they’re not good for you. The only flaw about this song is that
it’s two minutes too short.
Favorite Lyrics: “Hold up, there shouldn't be no hold-up /
There's more love if you follow emotions / Show up, now if you're
down to roll up / Meet me on the west side for me...”
11. “love
language”
One of the more upbeat songs recently on the album, “love
language” is about playing your cards right to get that one person
to love you back. It’s a kick-back song (not a party song but
definitely not a slow song) that’s the perfect background for
mustering up the confidence to talk to the person who’s been
starring at you across the room.
Lyrics: “I ain't tryna sign no lease / I'm just gon' make
you my home...”
12.
“positions”
Released ahead of her full album, “positions” got swept up by
the internet real quick. It’s about moving in a relationship real
fast -- forget “taking it slow”, “positions” is about doing the
things you usually don’t do and switching up for a change!
Favorite Lyrics: “Said, boy, I'm tryna meet your mama on a
Sunday / Then make a lotta love on a Monday (ah, ah)...”
13.
“obvious”
This song’s about love at first sight and whether or not
someone is picking up on your signs. We’ve all had that feeling of
butterflies in our stomach while talking to our crush who doesn’t
even know they’re our crush yet. Sometimes, when we think we’re
being obvious, the person we have feelings for really has no idea
what’s going on!
Favorite Lyrics: “I love the thought of
us in the evening / Crave the feeling...”
14.
“pov”
To close us out, Ariana serenades us with a powerful ballad
that reminds us that she’s truly one of the best. One of her more
pop-influenced songs on the largely R&B album, for those of you
looking for something a lot more like her older music, "pov" has
some of those elements you may miss. It’s about being grateful,
falling in love, and wanting to see new perspectives.
Favorite Lyrics: “Ooh, for all of my pretty and all of my
ugly too / I'd love to see me from your point of
view...”
Overall, if you like R&B, this will be a special treat for
you! While Ariana dabbles in themes like lust, power, and success, positions is definitely the album where she rediscovers
herself and leans even deeper into these themes. But I’d advise you
to listen to the album yourself! Enjoy positions now
streaming everywhere!