Save this article to read it later.
Find this story in your accountsSaved for Latersection.
Round-the-clock access to everyones thoughts and feelings means theres always someone somewhere growing sick of your shit.
As Ariana Grandes fame reaches critical mass, the publics scrutiny has risen to match it.
Neither one has had an easy time over the last year.
Grande still seems profoundly affected by the passing of Mac Miller.
The breakup sent Davidson, who is candid about his mental health journey, to a dark place.
Sweetener, the perky love album Grande released at the peak of the Grandson frenzy, hits differently now.
Its a document of a moment more fleeting than the music written about it.
This weeksThank U, Nextis a phoenix moment for Ariana Grande.
Shes overcome two years of impossible trials, only to burn brighter.
This isnt a breakup album, like the lead singles string of messages to exes might suggest.
Thank Uis also an album about getting other people to measuretheirexpectations of you.
Swatting at people who did you wrong is easy.
Figuring out what draws you to them in the first place is advanced studies.
Ghostin handles both with grace and withering honesty.
Feeling badly because he can tell he cant compare.
Theres no villain in this story, just people trying to make the most of bad luck.
The 7 Rings song and video did a little too much pantomiming blackness and not enough uplifting of it.
We should check Ariana when shes wrong, because she seems like she listens.
Its okay to push back, to be annoyed.
Its natural, even.
Lets also give a good, honest R&B album its due.
