Despite being both a critical and commercial success, Ariana Grande’s newest album, Eternal Sunshine, and its singles are noticeably missing from the top Grammy categories. Could it be because of the abundance of memorable music this year, or because of her past beef with the award show?
It’s safe to say that 2024 was the year of pop girls. Artists like Chappell Roan and Sabrina Carpenter took over the summer with their infectious hits and memorable personalities. It’s impossible not to think of Charli XCX’s hyper-pop album Brat when looking at neon green. Legends like Beyonce and Taylor Swift also released new music that smashed records and captivated listeners.
Since 2024 was full of unforgettable music, the nominations for the upcoming Grammys were highly anticipated. Thankfully, many of the year’s stars made the top categories which include Album, Song, and Record of the Year, but there was one star missing. Ariana Grande, who released her newest album Eternal Sunshine this year, was not included in any of the top categories despite the project’s success.
Speculation as to why Grande was
A Sharp Start to Ariana Grande’s Eternal Sunshine Era
The Eternal Sunshine era began on January 12th when Ariana released the first single, “yes, and?” The song addresses Ariana’s recent controversy surrounding her romance with Wicked costar, Ethan Slater. Many believed that the two began their relationship while Ethan was still married, and Grande was heavily scrutinized. No public statement was made by her until the single’s release.
“Yes, and?” is a sassy, dance-pop clapback at those who speculated on Ariana’s personal life. With lyrics like, “I’m so done with caring,/what you think, no, I won’t hide,” and “why do you care so much whose d**k I ride,” let listeners know how Ariana feels about the backlash.
The song debuted at number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and received positive reviews. Laura Snapes’ review for The Guardian calls the track “irresistibly effervescent and nimble” and a “defiant kiss-off to the haters,” while Sophie Williams from NME says yes and? “presents Grande in her truest form: a flawed but honest human being, seeking to own her narrative and move forward.”
“Yes, and?” was Ariana’s return to pop music after four years, and it’s success kicked off the Eternal Sunshine era with excitement and intrigue. She makes it clear from the jump that she’s back and ready to let us in.
Eternal Sunshine’s Vulnerable Songwriting
Eternal Sunshine was released on March 8th, along with a music video for the album’s second single, “we can’t be friends (wait for your love).” Both the album and video are inspired by Michel Gondry’s film Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. In an interview with Zac Sang, Grande says she was drawn to the film’s themes of wanting to live in eternal bliss by erasing all the bad memories of a past relationship.
The heartbreaking music video shows Grande getting her memories erased after a breakup. The lyrics mirror the somber subject matter with lines like, “you cling to your papers and pens,/wait until you like me again,/I’ll wait for your love,” and “I don’t like how you paint me,/yet I’m still here hanging.”
Many fans speculated that the song was addressing her divorce in 2023 to real estate broker Dalton Gomez. In the Zac Sang interview, Grande says she wrote the album hoping to express not just the bad parts of her marriage, but all the love that was present.
She further expresses this sentiment in the song, “i wish I hated you,” where she sings about wanting to hate her ex so the breakup would be easier. Lyrics like, “wish there was worse to you,” and “hoping life brings you no pain,” gives insight into the internal struggles she faced after the divorce.
The songwriting is raw and honest. Pitchfork’s review says that Eternal Sunshine is an “emotionally generous collection of music that cycles compassionately through the collapse of one relationship and into the hopeful beginning of another.” The album shows a vulnerable to Grande, a side that hasn’t really been explored since thank you, next.
Once You’ve Got “No Tears Left to Cry”
Ariana might explore a more vulnerable side of herself, but Eternal Sunshine still has a few silly, fun bops. On “the boy in mine,” Grande pokes fun at her new romance. The song samples Brandy and Monica’s iconic R&B duet of the same name. Grande plays into the character that the public painted her as, someone who goes after taken men.
Grande also pokes fun at this character in the song “true story.” She sings, “I’ll play the bad girl if you need me to/ and I’ll be good at it too.” Clearly she understands how some view her, and she’s willing to play into it.
Other songs like “supernatural” and “bye” are fun tunes that don’t take themselves too seriously. Grande also showcases her talent at creating catchy melodies and angelic harmonies. The 35 minute long album is a real earworm that doesn’t overstay its welcome.
Unhappy Arianators
Eternal Sunshine debuted at number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and received a score of 84 on Metacritic. Fans expressed their excitement over the album’s success and believed she was a shoe in for the Grammy’s top categories. Despite all the praise and hope, Grande was not included as an Album, Song, or Record of the Year nominee. This shocked many fans, prompting very vocal outrage.
One fan posted this TikTok:
Another fan posted this TikTok:
Many other fans took to the internet to express similar sentiments. Clearly the album was well loved by fans and critics, so why did the Grammys ignore it?
It could be because the album was released early in 2024, so it hasn’t stuck in voters mind’s when compared to more recent releases. It could also be because of the sheer volume of excellent music released in 2024. The last, more cynical theory, is that Grande was purposefully left out because of her not-so-positive relationship with the award show.
Ariana’s Rocky Relationship with the Grammys
Grande was set to perform at the 2019 Grammys, but ultimately pulled out. Producer Ken Ehrlich claimed it was because Ariana couldn’t come up with a performance in time.
Ariana then tweeted in response saying, “now you’re lying about me. I can pull together a performance over night and you know that, Ken. it was when my creativity & self expression was stifled by you, that I decided not to attend.”
Ariana went on to claim that the Grammys wouldn’t let her pick the song to perform, which is why she pulled out. Her clapback certainly didn’t make the Grammys look good, especially paired with the fact that she refused to even attend the award show, so the Grammys might be more inclined to give a nomination to someone else. It’s unfortunate, because Eternal Sunshine is more than deserving.
Boy Bye
Despite the public’s outrage, Grande seems unphased by the snub. She is currently promoting her newest film Wicked, which is teeing up to be a blockbuster smash. She said her piece on Eternal Sunshine, and it looks like that’s enough for her.
Ariana Grande’s Eternal Sunshine might not be a top Grammy winner, but Ariana is still a winner in 2024. She’s not the only one; this year has ben huge for so many talented women. 2024 will certainly go down as a monumental year for pop girls no matter who ends up taking the trophies home.
