‘Listen More Closely’
“It is not how to support me… Although this album captures a lot of painful moments, it also is woven together with a through line of deep, sincere love,” she says following release of Eternal Sunshine
Ariana Grande released her new album, Eternal Sunshine, on Friday and one day later, apparently some people are misinterpreting the “intention behind the music,” and are attacking those who are in her orbit.
“Hi. I just wanted to say anyone that is sending hateful messages to the people in my life based on your interpretation of this album is not supporting me and is absolutely doing the polar opposite of what I would ever encourage (and is also entirely misinterpreting the intention behind the music)… I ask that you please do not,” she wrote in her Instagram Stories on Saturday.
“It is not how to support me. It is the opposite,” she continued. “Although this album captures a lot of painful moments, it also is woven together with a through line of deep, sincere love. If you cannot hear that, please listen more closely. Thank you.”
While Grande did not name the names of who she believed were receiving said hateful comments, Eternal Sunshine was culled in the wake of her divorce from Dalton Gomez, and subsequent relationship with her new partner Wicked co-star Ethan Slater, who was married but separated from his wife, Lily Jay — with whom he later filed for divorce. Presumably, she’s referring to at least one or all of them on the receiving end of unwelcome messages. Looking on X, formerly Twitter, there are plenty of not so nice comments being lodged at each of three.
Rolling Stone’s review describes the album as “a gorgeously exposed journey to the end of her world — or at least what she believes to be the end. It’s a divorce album that goes through all the stages of grief, and the singer navigates a new beginning with some of the most honest and inventive songs of her career so far.”
In her Instagram Stories, Grande also posted about her upcoming appearance as a musical guest this evening on Saturday Night Live, sharing a photograph of her in a hallway in Studio 8H wearing a black dress. The episode will be hosted by Josh Brolin.