"It's about being there for each other and helping each other through scary times and anxiety." Ariana Grande released Sweetner about a year after the devastating bombing at her 2017 Manchester show, and the global star puts it best when she says: "I wanted to give people a hug, musically." Pharrell handles more than half of the production with Grande laying down warm, colorful melodies, the 15-tracker speaks on love, happiness, strength, and womanhood. It's a well crafted pop album, and beneath the pastel tone is an earnest message that resonates with Grande's dedicated fanbase and beyond, check out "breathin," "God is a woman," "blazed," "raindrops (an angel cried)," and "better off."

• gatefold sleeve
• music label: Republic Records 2018

reviewed by singing in japanese 06/19