Ahead of 'Petal', here's a look back at Ariana Grande's most iconic eras

Whether you’re a fan of her or not, you’ve probably heard of Ariana Grande. In the span of over a decade, Ariana has curated an impressive discography of seven albums, with her eighth album, Petal, releasing on July 31st. Her lead single from Petal, Hate That I Made You Love Me  dropped on 29th May, garnering mixed reactions from fans worldwide. While many loved the new, mellow approach to her music, others seemed to miss the old Ariana. 

From starting out in Broadway and reconnecting with it recently through the Wicked movies, to her debut pop album, Yours Truly and ultimately reaching the heights of popstardom with her Thank You, Next album, Ariana has played many roles throughout her career. Ariana’s public persona and her discography are intrinsically intertwined, both acting as reflections of the other. With so many eras to choose from, one question remains - which version of Ariana do we miss? Let’s break down all of Ariana’s eras and the role she played in each one. 

Yours Truly: The Sweet Ingénue

Ariana’s debut album, Yours Truly, was released in 2013. The songs were upbeat pop with a hint of R&B sprinkled on top. During this era, Ariana was just breaking free from her Nickelodeon character, transitioning into a cute yet chic aesthetic inspired by 1950s vintage fashion. Ariana had become the likeable, sweet girl with a voice that was reminiscent of pop divas like Mariah Carey. 

My Everything: The Rising Popstar

My Everything, her second album, brought a more mature version of Ariana to the forefront. With more sensual songs, in mood and aesthetic,  Ariana was slowly moving away from the cutesy persona and catering to a wider audience. The album introduced pop hits like Problem and Break Free, bringing a retrofuturistic energy into Ariana’s aesthetic, inspired by the likes of Austin Powers. 

Dangerous Woman: The Woman In Control

The Dangerous Woman era saw Ariana play further into the more mature role, playing with more adult themes. An iconic image of this era is tied to her latex bunny outfit, which acts as a callback to the Playboy logo. Ariana’s lead single Dangerous Woman as well as her song Into You both had fans in a frenzy and had become radio favourites during this era. Over the course of her albums, Ariana had gradually established her artistry and her status as a popstar for a generation ahead.

Sweetener: The Survivor

After the tragic Manchester bombing that took place during her Dangerous Woman tour, Ariana picked up the pieces and hosted a fundraising concert. This was followed by the release of her next album, Sweetener, suggestive of something rather sweet during testing times. This was also her oversized sweatshirt, paired with thigh-high boots phase, that fans emulated all over the world, across age groups. 

Thank You, Next: The Cultural Phenomenon

Ariana’s 5th studio album, Thank You, Next, cemented her position as one of the most influential pop stars of the time with her lead single breaking the record for most viewed YouTube video within the first 24 hours. Her music video also had celebrity appearances from Jennifer Coolidge, Troye Sivan, Kris Jenner and others. Ariana had gone from being compared to prior celebrities to holding her own as the voice of a generation. Her single from the same album, 7 Rings, had also been one of the most-streamed songs at the time, currently holding over 2.8 billion streams on Spotify. 

Positions: Ariana Grande's Soft Firl Era Begins

As the pandemic hit in 2020, so did many industries, including music. That's when Ariana dropped her next album, Positions. A fresh, more hopeful sense of music with its experimental sounds and a much lighter concept than her preceding albums. Even in her style, fans saw her gravitating towards softer aesthetics in stark contrast to her high ponytail phase. 

Eternal Sunshine: The Artist Reclaiming Herself 

After a 4-year hiatus, during which she had been extensively working on the Wicked movie, Ariana finally dropped her 7th studio album, Eternal Sunshine. This era’s vocals and visuals were heavily influenced by her role as Glinda from the Wicked films that she had been working on during the past few years. Blonde hair, no tan, Ariana seemed to have reinvented her sound and her style during this era. Ariana had stripped back all the layers that had made her brand so recognisable. However, at this point in time, Ariana no longer needed a strong silhouette to remind people who she was, having already proven herself as a singer and a performer. 

Text by Judah Abujam 

Edited by Sabrina Mathews