On her surprisingly cohesive debut, last year’s Yours Truly, former Nickelodeon star Ariana Grande showed off her outsize pipes on throwback R&B songs, inviting widespread comparisons to Mariah Carey. Her sophomore set, My Everything, includes that sound–alongside about a dozen others, plus guest spots from no fewer than seven other artists. Grande deftly flits from pounding house to spare alt-soul to doo-wop-pop, but no glue holds it together. Fortunately, the songs are top-shelf. On the skronky, horn-driven lead single, “Problem,” she’s all bluster, then turns coquettish on “Love Me Harder,” assisted by Canadian R&B stylist the Weeknd. The aerobic standout “One Last Time” is a transcendent dance number, while “Break Your Heart Right Back,” about a boyfriend’s gay affair, ingeniously samples Diana Ross’s “I’m Coming Out.” (The dated “Hands On Me” is the sole misfire.) There’s none of the intimacy that made her debut so unusual–and who cares? As the industry’s once dominant pop queens are relegated to Vegas revues, a girl with a great voice who isn’t too skittish to shape-shift might be just the ticket.
–SAM LANSKY
More Must-Reads from TIME
- Welcome to the Noah Lyles Olympics
- Melinda French Gates Is Going It Alone
- What to Do if You Can’t Afford Your Medications
- How to Buy Groceries Without Breaking the Bank
- Sienna Miller Is the Reason to Watch Horizon
- Why So Many Bitcoin Mining Companies Are Pivoting to AI
- The 15 Best Movies to Watch on a Plane
- Want Weekly Recs on What to Watch, Read, and More? Sign Up for Worth Your Time
Contact us at letters@time.com