Ariana Grande released her seventh studio album, “Eternal Sunshine,” last week, chronicling her recent divorce and the beginnings of a contentious relationship.
Despite the heavy topics, the lyrics lack depth, the music even further detaches the subject matter from its gravity, and the drama surrounding the album’s release remains the most interesting thing about it.
Ariana Grande and her husband, Dalton Gomez, filed for divorce in September 2023, but according to a Billboard timeline, they had been “separated” since January of that year. During that summer, People magazine reported Grande was dating Ethan Slater, a film and Broadway actor, whom she met on the set of the new “Wicked” movie.
That same year, although the exact timeline is unclear, Slater reportedly separated from his wife, Lilly Jay, whom he was with for over 10 years. She had recently given birth to their first son. In an interview with Page Six, Jay criticized the pop star, claiming she was blindsided by the split.
“[She’s] not a girl’s girl,” Jay said of Grande. “My family is just collateral damage.”
Both Slater and Grande deny cheating on their spouses, but the internet largely took Jay’s side. Many self-proclaimed “Arianators” took to social media to express disappointment while others said they didn’t care and were hopeful the drama would drive down tour prices.
But Grande responded by releasing as a single the ninth track of her “Eternal Sunshine” album, “Yes, And?” — the premise of which is Do whatever you want, and when people
