My Everything
There\'s a long history of teens becoming pop stars after gaining fame on TV. What sets Ariana Grande apart from the Justins and Britneys of the world is her force-of-nature voice, which rivals Mariah Carey\'s in its strength and range. While Grande\'s first album was an R&B-pop effort helmed by Babyface, *My Everything* enlists almost *every* A-lister in music (Zedd, Iggy, Nicki, etc.) for an EDM&B hybrid that showcases the full breadth of Grande\'s talents. This is a perfect picture of pop in 2014, from the soaring Ryan Tedder–penned ballad \"Why Try\" to Zedd\'s Vegas-bright \"Break Free\" to the pulsing midtempo groove of \"Love Me Harder,\" featuring The Weeknd. Even One Direction\'s Harry Styles gets a writing credit on \"Just a Little Bit of Your Heart.\" That Grande ably anchors such an all-star lineup is a testament to her gifts, not to mention her staying power.
On My Everything, Ariana Grande ditches the manic-Disney-dream-girl ballads that made up her debut and goes straight for the bangers. As a whole, the album feels like Grande’s arrival as a true pop fixture, not just a charming novelty. The Weeknd, Childish Gambino, Big Sean, and others guest.
Ariana Grande’s second record, My Everything, is a slick throwback to melodramatic ’80s and ’90s pop—and specifically, a determined nod to the days when melismatic divas ruled the airwaves. For starters, the ex-Nickelodeon star channels a more powerful version of On The 6-era Jennifer Lopez (the electronica-dusted…
Discover My Everything by Ariana Grande released in 2014. Find album reviews, track lists, credits, awards and more at AllMusic.
<p>Apart from a burst of hi-NRG this is a rather dull, slick vehicle for Grande's undoubted vocal talents, writes <strong>Kitty Empire</strong></p>
My Everything tries to expand Grande’s horizons with headache-inducing electro-pop and darker, edgier shades of R&B.
<p>It's difficult to engage with the synthy froth of My Everything, despite an impressive cast of voice and production talent, writes <strong>Caroline Sullivan</strong></p>
If it’s not, there’s almost never a second time, so former teen actress Ariana Grande is a rare thing: when her opening bid for the charts, 2011’s mediocre “Put Your Hearts Up,” didn’t detonate, the singer’s debut LP languished in development hell until late 2013, when it surfaced at last as the bland, likable-not-loveable Yours Truly – and promptly fell on deaf ears.
Ariana Grande - My Everything review: An unsettling definition of maturity.