After a long two years since 2016’s Dangerous Woman, Ariana Grande is *finally* back with “No Tears Left to Cry” the lead single for her fourth album due later this year. Since her last LP, much has transpired in Grande’s life. On May 22, 2017, a terror attack that resulted in the deaths of twenty-two of Grande’s fans took place after the singer’s Dangerous Woman World Tour in Manchester, United Kingdom. Following the horrific attack, Grande chose not to retreat and hide, but instead to take action: she put together One Love Manchester, a benefit concert that aided the families of victims of the bombing. With help from huge names like Miley Cyrus, Niall Horan, Coldplay, and Katy Perry just to name a few, the benefit concert raised an estimated £17 million.
So, where would she go from here? Where would this life-changing event take her artistically? Grande answers both of these questions with “No Tears”, a song that includes lyrical content alluding to the Manchester bombing. Prior to the song’s release, Grande promoted the song by ending her social media hiatus, revealing both the cover art, release date, and a snippet of the song on Instagram. In the snippet, we hear what we (or at least I) thought to be the intro to the song. It featured only vocals from Grande, harmonizing a single measure as seamlessly as a polished church choir would. To be honest, I expected a somber ballad about what happened during the attack: her feelings, her condolences, etc. But upon the song’s release, I admit… it wasn’t what I was expecting. On first listen I really was not vibing with it.
My advice for this song is to watch the music video on first listen.It completes the song. There’s a clear sense of Grande’s intentions and vision for the song. Don’t get me wrong, I absolutely love Ariana Grande. But at the same time, I’m no kiss ass. My main problem with the song is that I feel as if it feels incomplete on its own; it lacks the substance and structure necessary to be a huge hit for her. Also, I noticed that it doesn’t sound or feel like the song Grande teased us with. It’s almost like the polar opposite. And that post-chorus… the “we turning up” part I found completely unnecessary. I don’t necessarily hate it, but I don’t necessarily like it either.
All of my subjective opinions aside, I applaud Ariana Grande for having the courage to keep going after the horrific events in Manchester. This song not only shows her artistic growth, but it shows her maturation as a young woman. For her, it’s time to move on from the trauma; she’s been reminded of the events for too long. It’s a new day for her, and she wants to let her fans know that she’s okay through it all. I’ve heard nothing but great things about her fourth album. I’m very excited for it. And, who knows. Maybe I’ll love the song sooner or later.
6.5/10
Sorry for any typos!
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