North Texas Daily

Life changes at the speed of lightning. One moment everything is sunshine and rainbows, and in the next moment, you’re wondering where it all went wrong. During these drastic interludes, we typically cope by sulking and vowing to never leave the house again — but then there are people like Ariana Grande, who decide to break the internet by releasing yet another album.

Not even six months after the release of her album “Sweetener,” Grande has managed to top herself in such a short amount of time. Her newest album, “Thank U, Next,” is debuting on the charts at number 1 with the highest streams for a pop album in a week and not just because every aspect the production exceeds expectations. The lyrics of each track come together to deliver a cohesive message to the lost, broken-hearted and scorned, or anyone who lends an ear.

This album contributes to the new era of female artists preaching the concept of self-love through self-acceptance and self-reflection. Basically a lot of “self”-related growing and learning. Grande’s take on breakups changes the stereotype of the woman’s traditional, devastated role post-breakup.

Tracks like “thank u, next,” “bloodline” and “7 rings” showcase the idea that women don’t have to be defeated by a failed relationship — it isn’t the end of the world, and you don’t have to cry about it for weeks on end. The common stereotype that a woman enters a downward spiral after a breakup while her partner is perfectly fine is completely absent in this album. She’s telling us not to be defeated or broken down by a breakup, we have the power to decide whether to love or not, and we decide how we react to the downfall.

So many people go through the same experiences with dating, allowing every listener to personalize Grande’s lyrics with their own interpretations. Each one of your relationships contributes to who you are today, no matter how full of love or toxic it was.

Grande has gone through so much in the last year, most notably with the Manchester bombing, the death of her longtime ex-boyfriend Mac Miller and her broken engagement to Pete Davidson. The album’s message of perseverance and motivation to keep living each day as positively as you possibly can is inspiring.

“NASA,” “in my head” and “make up” resonate with me the most, and not just because it makes me want to walk in slow motion while putting on shades. “NASA” reaffirms the notion of needing space within a relationship. Contrary to popular belief, wanting space is just an act of self-preservation and putting yourself first, which isn’t selfish. If anything, the cliche of loving yourself before you can love anyone else is detrimental to the success of a relationship.

“In my head” and “make up” are about realizing your imperfections and mistakes but stepping back and learning from them. It’s about having enough respect for yourself to not go back to a self-destructive relationship. It’s about coming to understand that people are going to take advantage of your kindness and burning belief to see the best in others, which is why you make a note to start trusting your instincts.

Those two songs contrast with “needy,” “ghostin” and “imagine,” which are more hard-hitting and reassure the listener that feeling insecure and emotional is okay. Life takes its course and bad things happen, but the way you come back from these events truly define your character.

These were a few of the lessons I took from listening to Grande’s newest album seconds after it released. “Thank U, Next” is as genuine and honest as a record can be. Even pop stars who seem to have it all struggle with the same problems we do, except the whole world gets to stare and judge. The least we can do is listen.

If there is any right time for these messages to be heard, it’s now.

Featured Illustration: Austin Banzon