Positions is the first real miss of Ariana Grande’s career

thefader.com:

Ariana Grande has been one of our hardest-working pop stars for years now. That’s not a controversial statement — she’s often made sure listeners know it.

Grande’s last three records — 2016’s Dangerous Woman, 2018’s Sweetener, and 2019’s thank u, next — each opened with a spare introduction designed to showcase the musician’s once-in-a-generation voice.

These intro songs allowed Grande to belt and trill, to show off her enviable vocal range without the risk of the song buckling under the weight of her acrobatics.

Songs like “Moonlight” and “imagine” were flexes, proof of Grande’s continued technical might. They were also subtle reminders that, while other pop stars may try to chase trends or experiment with format, Grande has always been a.