Fresh off her debut as Glinda in the beloved Broadway adaptation and Oscar-nominated film Wicked—which also earned her an Academy Award nomination—Ariana Grande is back and bolder than ever. The eternal sunshine singer expands on her deeply personal Grammy-nominated album with a deluxe edition featuring five new tracks that add even more depth to its conceptual storytelling. Accompanying the release is a short film, brighter days ahead, she directed herself, immersing fans even deeper into the creative world she has built.
Widely regarded as her most personal and vulnerable project yet, eternal sunshine deluxe: brighter days ahead sees Grande reflect on the past few years of her life—navigating marriage, divorce, and personal growth while facing intense public scrutiny.
Drawing inspiration from the 2004 film Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Grande weaves its themes into her music, particularly the desire to erase the memory of an ill-fated romance, while reinterpreting the story to reflect her own experiences. She fully immerses herself in this world, even adopting the name ‘Peaches’ in tribute towards the film’s character, Clementine. In the album's accompanying short film, this persona helps bring her vision to life, reinforcing the emotional narrative threaded through the album's songs and messages.
Grande lights a whirlwind of emotions into eternal sunshine, exploring love, heartbreak, acceptance, indifference, and, most of all, healing. Grande doesn't shy away from vulnerability; in the hauntingly beautiful track "i wish i hated you," she wrestles with the painful desire to despise a former love. Despite the hurt caused by their differences, she ultimately can’t hate someone who once meant everything to her. It's about looking back at the life you once had with someone and understanding that even after the turmoil and bullshit experienced, there’s always going to be an attachment towards them…so you can't hate them.
eternal sunshine deluxe: brighter days ahead isn't just an album you listen to once and forget—it's an experience that lingers. Its sonically driven landscape of soft beats, Grande's signature belts, and sweet but strong vocal layering and tone style draw listeners in with its intimate storytelling and reflective sound, allowing anyone to find pieces of themselves within the music.
Building on the breathtaking beauty of the original album, tracks like "we can't be friends" and "ordinary things" explore two sides of heartbreak. One grapples with the realization that a past love can never be the same, and the other embraces the bittersweet truth that the future holds new opportunities and people. Yet, the past still lingers throughout the album; it is impossible to thoroughly shake away your history.
With the addition of five new tracks, the deluxe edition brings a full-circle moment of closure and final reflection. In many ways, it serves as a nod to Grande herself, acknowledging that the future only gets brighter, no matter the past. These new songs expand on the album's themes and offer fresh perspectives on love, loss, and self-discovery. Each track adds another layer to the story, making the deluxe edition a must-listen and watch.
twilight zone: Picking up right from "we can't be friends," with the same fading in transition from the outro of the song, Grande delivers a stellar, star-like track that radiates the triumph of finally moving on from an old love. "Not that I miss you, I don't," she repeats like a mantra—a reminder to stay strong as she reflects on her time with them. The song casts her in a new light—one of acceptance and the beginning of a fresh chapter in her life.
warm: Grande asserts her independence and peace, expressing that she doesn't need anyone to stay in her life, as she finds comfort in being alone. The song's seemingly nonchalant tone and soft, almost whispered approach to relationships underscores her ease in solitude. However, the chorus—"'Cause I'm cool on my own. But it's warmer in your arms"—introduces a contrast.
While she's content on her own, there's an undeniable warmth and security in her partner's love, making the idea of being two in a room more appealing than alone. With Grande, being in a relationship isn't just about presence—it's about being there through every high and low.
dandelion: Opening with a smooth jazz trumpet, the song feels like a nostalgic nod to Grande's past collaboration with 2 Chainz on "Rule the World.” With a sleek and playful tone, the R&B track carries a tongue-in-cheek charm as she sings, "I'm thinking you should plant this seed" and "Can't you see I bloom at night?" Grande likens herself to a flower, alluding to the folklore myth of blowing on a dandelion—where successfully removing all the petals in one breath means your wish will come true. In the song, she seems to be offering herself to her love; if they dare to take a chance on her, she can make all their wishes and dreams come true.
past life: "Now I'm fine to leave you in a past life" is a striking and unhesitating lyric that Grande delivers with a mix of edge and confidence, signaling her readiness to leave the past behind. After meditating on her history with her past love, she decides to say "goodbye" leaving this chapter entirely.
Tied to Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Minds’ central plot—where a memory-erasing device makes the characters (Joel and Clementine) forget their encounters—the song feels like Grande's final battle cry. It's a moment of reflection in which she fully acknowledges the relationship. She ends the song with light, airy vocals fading in and out, helping the concept play out as she slowly forgets the past from haunting her.
Hampstead: "Hampstead" provides a glimpse into the years she spent filming Wicked in the UK, reflecting on how the public eye has caused her turmoil. Instead of offering explanations or defending herself, she flips the narrative, tarnishing the idealized image placed upon her. She delivers a sharp rebuttal with the line, "So far off, your seat's nowhere near the table," addressing the rumors and speculation surrounding her.
The song is sharp in its quips, with a simple yet effective production primarily composed of Grande's layered vocals, piano, strings, and synths. Rather than a ballad of heartache, it emerges as one of rebirth and healing. One of the most heart-wrenching moments comes when she cries out, "I'd rather be seen and alive than dying by your point of view," an apparent jab at her song pov, where she once sang about seeing herself through the eyes of her then-husband.
Within the short film, the heartfelt "Hampstead" delves into her relationship with her father, highlighting a poignant reconnection during a time of vulnerability. The underlying theme of this narrative showcases the evolution of Grande's character from the little girl her father raised to a mature woman who still seeks the comfort and warmth of his presence despite her status as an A-list celebrity. The short film masterfully weaves together distinct storylines that transport viewers through various atmospheres and themes. One standout track, "Supernatural," captures an otherworldly vibe reminiscent of an alien abduction as Grande embodies the powerful emotions of love and life.
Overall, "Eternal Sunshine" is a beautifully crafted exploration of love, growth, and the enduring bonds of family.
Overall, eternal sunshine deluxe: brighter days ahead is a beautiful, emotional, and deeply vulnerable album that showcases Grande's maturity as she chooses not to dwell on her losses but instead transforms them with a new perspective. Accompanied by the short film she directed, the project brings the tracks to life while also capturing the emotional journey of rekindling her once-estranged relationship with her father.
Ariana Grande is more than just a pop star or actress—she is a one-of-a-kind talent who keeps her head high and her ponytail tight, no matter the circumstances. What makes her truly special isn't just her dedication to her craft but also the growth, revelations, and raw honesty she shares with the world.