Petal Reaction Roundtable: Breaking Down Ariana's New Album
Ilana, Remy, and I came together for a much needed debrief
Welcome to Track Ten! Every Monday, I publish writing about the past and present of pop stardom. On Wednesdays, I catch you up on everything you need to know about what’s trending next on the charts. I hope you’ll subscribing.
A new Ariana Grande album is a major main pop girl event, especially when Ari spent the last two years hinting that she was done with music and the return was preceded by her 10th #1 single, “Hate That I Made You Love Me.”
With that in mind, Remy Lourdes, Ilana, and I just had to come together to debrief Petal. On her newsletter, Remy interviews artists and offers music recs like her most recent spring/summer roundup. Ilana writes about pop music (forever jealous that she went to Olivia’s billions club set and wrote about it) and does artist interviews, too! If you don’t already, make sure you check out their work :)
These are our fresh takes with only limited listening, not a full review. But who knows? Maybe I’ll have to have them back once the dust settles for a full Rated entry on the album!
1. What’s your one sentence review?
Eric: I love the way she manages to play with old and new production sounds in a way that feels fresh, but the low key melodies and similar lyrics across the album make the songs blur together.
Remy: Ariana’s vocals are stunning as always and I like the range of sonic inspirations found in the production, but the album lacks the kind of storytelling, emotional resonance or concept that would bring me to relisten.
Ilana: On Petal, we hear all the iconic signature Ariana modes—musical theatre and R&B-infused pop, haunting balladry, comedic innuendos, and Imogene Heap vocal layering—but a slightly more experimental version that lacks cohesion and sharp hooks, and falls flat at times.
2. What should be the next single?
Eric: My vote is for “Big Feelings”! It’s the sort of mid tempo song that I could see working well on radio, has one of the catchier hooks, plus that “a tear fall from his eye” lyric will definitely get the people talking.
Remy: Agree with “Big Feelings,” the production feels more ‘commercial’ than most other songs on the album and has some fun lyrics! I wish I could say “Petal,” but the chorus is not hooky enough.
Ilana: Although “Big Feelings” is MY personal favorite (obsessed, feels like positions Ari), I think I’m gonna say “Like I Do” for next single. I think it captures the message of the album and has a classic Ari vibe with a new edge. “My ego’s small but I’m still grande” is everything to me. That being said, I could also see “Bad Thing (Bunny Hop)” featuring The Weeknd!
Eric: I would love “Like I Do” as a single! And “Bunny Hop” feat. The Weeknd feels super realistic (and would likely be a smash) but I would love to see her pick a new collaborator, too for a single.
3. Best lyric on the album?
Eric: The one that randomly stood out to me is from “Warning Sign”: “My voice plays in a taxi passing by.” A lot of the lyrics on this album are a little more internal monologue, and I liked that this felt like it could be literal and metaphorical in a song about feeling like no one is hearing her.
Remy: I love this one on “Petal” “Cause all of my favorite stories end in some kind of catastrophe”, one of the most visceral images/ideas presented within the lyrics on the album.
Ilana: I think “meet you by the staircase where we fell in love, let’s do it twice” is really sweet and my other faves are “my ego’s small but I’m still grande” (as mentioned before” and “tired of painting endless pictures of a life that isn’t mine/ trying different boys on for size/ if this is my curse I’ll let it ride.” Agree the taxi line is fantastic!
4. What’s your sneaky favorite song?
Eric: It’s really hard to pick after just a few listens, but I’d go with “Oh Well.” I think the very PinkPantheress-coded garage percussion is a cool direction she hasn’t done before and works well with the synths and her voice. Also “good luck on your way to hell… oh well” low key cracks me up and keeps getting stuck in my head!
Remy: I’d say “Like I Do!” I like the atmospheric, almost haunting production. “Oh Well” comes in 2nd for me for the same reasons as Eric :)
Eric: We must have similar taste because I was torn between “Oh Well” and “Like I Do!” It reminds me of some of the Thank U, Next production like “Bad Idea”
Ilana: “Big Feelings” 💯- perfect hook, perfect grandeisms, her voice sounds incredible, just a tight, cheeky song that I will listen to over and over. Perhaps a “sneaky” fave because it feels like it belongs on positions more than Petal lol.
5. Most surprising moment on the album?
Eric: For me it’s the opening of “Kiss Me!” It’s some of the most interesting production and to start the album that way is really cool. It was not at all what I was expecting based on HTIMYLM, and it reminds me a little of the 1975 at times in a good way!
Remy: I loved the smooth transition between “Freak” and “Warning Sign!” Agree that the “Kiss Me” intro is great, it’s a shame that more of the album doesn’t have a similar sonic quality. I also wasn’t expecting that type of production on “Bad Thing (Bunny Hop)” but it worked great with her voice!
Ilana: I was really struck by the “I wish someone could hear me” ending on “Warning Signs”… painful, vulnerable and sort of the thesis of the whole album. I was also (pleasantly) surprised by the sound of “Bad Thing (Bunny Hop),” kind of love it for her even though I wish the melody was a little stronger
Eric: 10000% on “Warning Signs,” that’s why I chose it as my favorite lyric! It definitely best achieves the vulnerability I think she wanted on this album better than almost any other track.
Final Thoughts (Including the Tour!)
Eric: Seems like we all have pretty similar feelings and definitely a few standout songs that keep coming up! Any closing thoughts on the album? Plus Ilana, I know you went to the tour, what did you think?
Remy: I have hope that this album might grow on me and as with any project, I might connect to or feel drawn to it sometime in the future, but after that first listen…… I just wanted to listen to her other albums 🤭
I’m glad that this was a more explorational album though! She’s still following her creative curiosity as an artist and I love to see it :)
However, I feel like these songs should have stayed in the studio until there was a more engaging or fully realised creative direction! I just couldn’t get immersed into this project.
Eric: It’s so true about it making me want to listen to her other albums - I agree that she deserves props for exploring new sounds though! I think more than anything I’m a little bored by her covering the same themes over and over. There’s not much here beyond being famous sucks, breakup/makeup, and sex songs. I think she covered the first two in much better and more interesting ways on Eternal Sunshine, and it’s time to find some fresh material that could live up to this fresher production.
Ilana: Sometimes Ariana albums grow on me over time so I’m open to that! And I do really love “Petal” and “Big Feelings” so I’ll be listening to those a lot. I agree, I’m happy that she was able to turn such a turbulent emotional time into art. The people constantly hating on her drive me insane
Tour was unbelievable. I sobbed all of “Break Free” and “Just Like Magic.” A great representation of her career and ridiculous vocal abilities, appreciated the broadway moments too.
Eric: I was soooooooo happy to hear “Break Free” live and was shocked how crazy the crowd went for it. Like you said, a great showcase of how many hits she has had over such a long career at this point. Truly one of the definitional pop stars of my lifetime!
Thank you both so much for agreeing to this, it was so fun and you both have such smart and thoughtful things to say about Ari. I can’t wait to see how the rest of this era plays out and to check back in to see how we’re all liking the album after we can sit with it a little longer, too!
A major thank you to Ilana and Remy for coordinating across time zones so we could share our thoughts with you! They always have such great takes on music, so I highly recommend giving them a subscribe.
If you haven’t gotten the chance to check it our yet, I wrote about how the launch of “Hate That I Made You Love Me” represents Ariana trying to find her footing in a post-imperial phase back in June.
How are you liking Petal so far? Would love to know your thoughts, including favorite tracks and where it falls in your overall Ariana album ranking.
Best of Track Ten:
how charli xcx created the pop star playbook that's defined the last decade
Read my previous collaborative series, Resurrection, about why we love pop star comebacks
The Best Concerts I’ve Seen This Year Had Nothing To Do With Chart Hits
I’m rating albums based on their commercial and artistic performance. Check out the Rated Archive to see if I’ve scored your favorite yet
 | A guest post by
|
 | A guest post by
|
Loved chatting with you guys about the album!! Thank you so much for coordinating :).
thank you so much Eric!!!