Ariana Grande pleases fans with deluxe edition of "Positions"
for Ramapo News
In the past few months, Ariana Grande has been feeding her fans with an album release, multiple music videos, a tour documentary, an engagement announcement, and more. Fortunately for us, Grande has not stopped her giving streak.
On Feb. 19, Grande released the deluxe version of “Positions.” This version includes the recently dropped “34+35” remix featuring Doja Cat and Megan Thee Stallion, as well as four brand new songs alongside the original 14 tracks.
The interlude “someone like u” and other new songs “test drive,” “worst behavior” and “main thing” are all rather short tracks, yet they truly emphasize the R&B sound in the record. The whimsical sounds and snapping heard in “someone like u” especially have the listener feel as if they are in a dreamscape.
“I've been waiting for someone like you / Baby, this time, please don't be too good to be true” are the only lyrics in the barely one-minute song. However, it is an interlude, and Grande tends to have her instrumental-focused tracks that lack hard-hitting lyrics.
Seamlessly transitioning from “someone like u” is “test drive,” which is presented as a fan favorite across social media. The song's vibe resembles “Only 1,” a track from Grande’s sophomore album “My Everything.” While an R&B record, this particular song takes inspiration from disco sounds, as it could fittingly be blasting on the speakers of a roller rink.
“worst behavior” follows the “34+35” remix. The opening lines immediately explain the sensual undertones of the title: “I've been on my worst behavior / But baby, I don't need no savior.”
On “worst behavior,” Grande sings about a secret relationship and her desire to keep her love and sex life private. This song shows different behavior when compared to her past public relationships.
Out of the four new releases, “main thing” is the longest song of the bunch, even though it is only just about two minutes in length.
Grande sets the scene in the first verse, as it is not just R&B in sound, but also in theme: “You on your way, it's a Friday night / Hear the rain outside, yeah / It's rosé on ice / Candlelight and I'm feeling nice.”
If fans were unaware that “Positions'' is an R&B album, these additional songs should prove their true genre. While I wish the new songs were longer, that's just because I’m greedy. Each track is beautifully unique in theme and sound, and Grande has yet to disappoint.
