Ariana Grande’s return to music comes after a harrowing year in which she’s struggled to cope after the terrorist bomb attack at her concert in Manchester, England, in May last year left 23 dead. Her manager, Scooter Braun, says she suffered severe trauma afterwards. “She cried for days, she felt everything.”
With Sweetener, she wanted to show fans there can be triumph after adversity. The album and its chart-topping first single, No Tears Left to Cry, represent resilience. “It’s about picking things up,” she says.
The album’s trap-style production is courtesy of Pharrell Williams, who Ariana roped in to produce along with hitmaker Max Martin. Sweetener also sees her reunite with long-time friend and “big sis” Nicki Minaj. Borderline features one of Ariana’s childhood idols, Missy Elliott, who said she…
