Ariana Grande's debut album Yours Truly brings together the sounds of the 1950s, 1990s, and elements of today's music. At only 20 years old, her voice shows a lot of maturity and growth, leading to a very successfully composed album.
Her first single "The Way" peaked at number 9 on the Billboard Hot 100 Chart. The song uses pop beats similar to those of famous 90s music, for example, Maria Carey's hit "Fantasy" uses similar percussion style. Grande's other singles, "Baby I," "Lovin' It," "You'll Never Know," and "Right There," all have the similar 90s throwback sound. "Right There" featuring Big Sean uses a sample of Lil Kim's 1996 hit "Crush On You."
The album also incorporates the sounds of the 1950s. "Tattooed Heart" and "Daydreamin'" uses the classic piano cord triplets of popular 50s ballads, as well as the use of stringed instruments to add more body to the track. She shows her vocal range in these songs, changing pitch and making runs that express her true talent of singing.
The album also contains a ballad featuring Nathan Sykes of the band The Wanted. This would have been a great ending to the album, but two more tracks "Popular Song" with MIKA and "Better Left Unsaid" create an awkward shift in style. "Popular Song" brings more of an Alternative Pop sound that does not mesh well with the 1990s throwback feel of the other tracks. "Better Left Unsaid" fits in with the Pop Dance music of today, but the style of the song is also a misfit. If these two songs weren't included, I would have given the album a 5 out of 5.
Overall the album is a success. It will appeal to a wide range of listeners. Yours Truly is in stores now and available on Amazon and iTunes.