Ariana Grande returns to music

Ariana Grande—”Hate That I Made You Love Me”

Well, we can finally leave Glinda’s pink gown behind after the past couple of years and turn our attention back to the pop star Ariana Grande truly is. The song marks her first release since the “Eternal Sunshine” deluxe edition, which also gave us the standout track “Hampstead.”

It’s no secret that Grande faced intense public scrutiny throughout her “Wicked”promo run. The online commentary surrounding her body became so overwhelming that the singer eventually addressed fans directly in a video. There were also persistent rumors that Grande began a relationship with co-star Ethan Slater while he was still allegedly with his wife. Slater’s ex-wife told Page Six that Grande was “not a girl’s girl.”

During a red carpet premiere of “Wicked,” a fan suddenly jumped onto the carpeted area and aggressively reached for Grande as Cynthia Erivo quickly moved to shield her. The incident, despite showing Erivo protecting Grande, still led to backlash aimed at both performers. There comes a point where you’ve had enough, and Grande reaches that moment on “Hate That I Made You Love Me.”

In what could be interpreted as a direct response to fans who have taken their interest in her life too far, the song finds Grande pulling away from the constant scrutiny. “Is it really my fault you all gave me your hearts of your own accord?
I don't really think so,” she sings. It’s a refreshing shift for an artist of her stature to address a situation like this directly, especially in a time when fans can access so much information about an artist’s life, from their whereabouts to flight movements.

The song also reunites Grande with Max Martin, who was a key producer on “Eternal Sunshine.” We get a synth pop sound here with a bubbly noise that runs throughout the track. The song is strong overall even if it doesn’t fully reach the impact of her earlier lead singles, like “Thank U, Next” and “No Tears Left to Cry.” The music video drops this Monday so we’ll be keeping an eye out for it all weekend while streaming.

Latto—”Hostage (feat. 21 Savage)”, “Okayyy (feat. Doja Cat)”

Latto’s new album “Big Mama” drops with a stacked set of guest features like Sexyy Red, 21 Savage and Doja Cat. The focus appears to be on the song with Savage as the one being promoted.

The track has the pair trading lines as they both frame the relationship as one where the other is holding them hostage. The approach is a bit on the nose.

We actually really like the Doja Cat collaboration which features the two over a silky R&B beat. “Okayyy” gives off a circa era “Scarlett” Doja Cat vibe. “Might win the lotto if Latto says (Okay),” she sings. It has two rappers at a really strong point in their prime.

Labrinth—”COSMIC OPERA ACT II,” (Album)

We don’t know much about what happened there but Labrinth suddenly stopped doing music for the HBO show “Euphoria.” He vowed to release a new song every Sunday at 9 p.m. to line up with new episode drops, so we can only assume that something changed behind the scenes. There was also the Instagram post in which he said, “DOUBLE F*CK EUPHORIA. I’M OUT.”

Well today Labrinth has a new album out. It’s called “COSMIC OPERA ACT II.”

What feels unique to us about Labrinth’s music is how dramatic and big it sounds. The opening track feels like it begins in an opera hall with slow violins guiding us into a dark room. Eventually the beat drops and Labrinth arrives. It feels like a song that could fit right into “Euphoria,” but who’s to say what he intended it for? The song is fantastic nonetheless.

“VERY GOOD BOY” has Labrinth up close in a sulky lullaby type of delivery. The production here leans into a wild circus feel. There’s also the religious imagery that’s prevalent in all his songs.

Bebe Rexha, David Guetta—”Sad Girls”

When you bring these two together they usually make a banger (see: “I’m Good”). The song is another fun club offering, literally. “It’s the last call baby,” Rexha sings. “I’m gonna dance until they turn on the lights.”

Spotify released its predictions for song of the summer today and just missed this one.

Kim Petras—”Brutalist”

The singer announced her new album last week and it dropped today. “Detour”comes out as an independent release.

“Brutalist” is the standout track here and it kicks off with a Jack Antonoff-like synth beat. The song is a really good pop song that also has some deep cutting lyrics. “My dad's an architect, he used to show me it/When he would drive me to the psychiatry/Again and again/Didn't come back a man,” Petras sings. The singer describes the song as reflecting her journey as a transgender person.

“My dad would always complain that they tore down something beautiful. And a lot of the time, I think about how people criticize being an openly trans artist,” Petras told V Magazine. It’s an understated offering that still carries real emotional weight, like a lot of music this week.

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—Dawson Therre

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