- This song gets to me. - She's so pretty and talented.
♪ (industrial intro) ♪
- (FBE) So today, we're gonna watch some music videos
and play you selections of every song from "Sweetener,"
the newest album by Ariana Grande. - Oh, okay.
I haven't heard her new album, but I have liked the single.
- She did so good on this album. She did this specifically for me.
I don't care what anybody says.
- (FBE) What do you think of the name of the album, "Sweetener"?
- "Sweetener"? I think it's really cute.
Her music is just so happy and bubbly,
and she's just such a sweet human that it fits perfectly.
- (FBE) So, the first track is an intro called "raindrops."
It's a cover of a 1950s track by The Four Seasons.
- Oh, maybe I've heard the original. I'm not sure.
- ♪ When raindrops fell ♪
♪ Down from the sky ♪
- Dude, her voice is amazing. - She has that nice voice.
- ♪ An angel cried ♪ - I feel like these headphones
can't even handle these notes right now.
- ♪ (sustains note) ♪
- Man. Girl can sing!
- She's got the frickin' voice of an angel.
- (FBE) The next song is "blazed" and features musician Pharrell,
who also produced seven of the 15 tracks.
- Oh shoot. I didn't know Pharrell was so invested in the album.
- ♪ I can't believe that you're here ♪
- I love Pharrell's production.
- ♪ What are the odds that you would appear? ♪
- Mm. I like this vibe. - I just love it so much!
- Ooh, there he is.
- (Pharrell)♪ I can see it right now ♪ - (giggles)
- ♪ I thought that I was dreaming ♪ - The harmonies, ah!
I'm a harmony man. If the harmonies are like (slaps hands) --
like, they're laying together like that
I'm like, "Yeah, it's a good song."
- It's really, really cool when a producer and an artist
that maybe you never even thought knew each other or would collab
on something, they collab and they create something special.
- (FBE) Up next, we have the music video
for "the light is coming" featuring Nicki Minaj.
- Ah, interesting. - (Nicki) ♪ Ay, yo ♪
- I love the beat on this, too. And Nicki Minaj, I've listened
to some of her stuff, but this is a great collaboration.
- (Nicki) ♪ Aww, your bum knee ♪ ♪ Now I'm the bad guy ♪
♪ Call me Chun-Li ♪ - This is different.
- ♪ The light is coming ♪ - This is all right.
There's nothing memorable about it.
- ♪ ...tell you shit that you've been through ♪
♪ They are so confused ♪ ♪ Who cares about the rational? ♪
♪ If it ain't your view ♪ ♪ That's the bottom line ♪
- How is this the first time I'm hearing this?
- Not bad. But I like her other ones better.
What I like about Ariana Grande is her voice and stuff,
and so that was not really showcasing it that well.
- ♪ Excuse me, I love you ♪
♪ I know that's not the way... ♪
- I like this. - ♪ I watch another girl ♪
- I love her! (exclaims) - ♪ Before you speak, don't move ♪
♪ 'Cause I don't wanna wake up ♪ - I love the background noise.
It just sounds so peaceful. - ♪ 'Cause you're such a dream ♪
- Yeah, that's more kind of the Ariana Grande stuff
that I'm used to that I really like.
- It has something, like a spice to it,
but then it's just very still, calm, and very what she always does.
- (FBE) Next up is the video for "God is a woman."
- Ahh! This is-- oh, this is my favorite single from her.
- I remember the other video they've done on this with the elders.
- (Melvin) Looks like porn. - That's what made me listen to it.
- I don't think I've actually seen the music video for this.
- ♪ ...that you can't fight, my one ♪ ♪ It lingers when we're done ♪
- (sings along) ♪ You'll believe God is a woman ♪
- I love that intro that she did right there.
- ♪ I don't wanna waste no time, yeah ♪
- This is a good song. - ♪ You ain't got a one-track... ♪
- I'm so glad this song blew up as big as it did.
- This is really pretty. - ♪ I can be all the things
you told me not to be ♪ - The visuals are incredible.
This whole thing, awesome.
- The track for me feels super generic,
but the message is super interesting, so I feel a little conflicted.
- ♪ I like the way... ♪ - I'm probably gonna get
so much hate, but I actually skip this one.
I don't like this one.
- I like the ad libs in the background.
- ♪ ...heights unknown ♪ ♪ So, when they... ♪
- I don't know how I feel about this song.
- It's just pretty basic. - ♪ When life deals us cards ♪
♪ Make everything taste like it is salt ♪
- I love this.
- ♪ ...through like the sweetener you are ♪
♪ To bring the bitter taste... ♪ - I like this a lot.
- ♪ ...to a halt ♪ ♪ And then you get it, get it,
get it, get it ♪ - Oh, I have heard this.
Apparently, people didn't really like it, 'cause of this part,
like, "Get it, get it, get it." I think it adds a nice element
to it, though! - The really stupid trap beat
and snare in the back and the chorus, just, no.
No! Ariana, you're better than this!!
- ♪ Tonight, I'm a baller, babe ♪ ♪ Tonight, I'm a baller, baby ♪
- I like this one ever since the first second.
I like it.
- This is more like her old stuff.
- ♪ Say, bae, you should play with me, babe ♪
- This one kind of gives me a jazz vibe.
- ♪ And have this fun and be successful ♪
♪ I'm so successful ♪ - I like the concept.
It's a concept that everybody's doing now,
like self-empowerment. - I like it.
It's like giving yourself a pat on the back, you know?
Like, "You got this, girl."
- ♪ You get high and call... ♪ - (sighs) Oh. (chuckles)
This song gets to me.
- ♪ Why, oh why... ♪ - I feel this a bit more.
- ♪ ...keep bringing me back to you ♪
♪ I get drunk, pretend that I'm over it ♪
- Her voice just can't do any wrong either, though.
None of these songs are any weaker than the others.
- She was on "Sam & Cat" and "Victorious."
Within the last five years, she started to really
break through as an artist.
- ♪ Some days, things just take... ♪ - Oh, I've heard this song.
- ♪ ...of my energy ♪ ♪ I look up
and the whole room's spinning ♪ - That's cool.
- ♪ Just keep breathin' and breathin' and breathin' and breathin' ♪
♪ I know I gotta keep, keep on breathin' ♪
- This one's chill. - I like songs with more
of a meaning behind it, and she's so smart and so grounded
that I wanna hear more of that on the album.
- (FBE) Next up is a video for "no tears left to cry,"
the lead single for the album. It was widely understood
as an anthem of healing and hope in the wake
of the Manchester terrorist bombings that took place in 2017
during one of her live performances. - Oh, I remember that.
- Oh my god. I totally forgot that happened with her.
Oh yeah, that was so devastating.
- ♪ Right now, I'm in a state... ♪
- Oh, I think I've heard this song.
- ♪ I wanna be in... ♪ - I always get chills
when I listen to this.
- ♪ Ain't got no tears left to cry ♪
♪ So, I'm pickin' it up, pickin' it up ♪
♪ I'm lovin', I'm livin', I'm pickin' up ♪
- You can just feel the emotion when she sings, and I love that.
- ♪ Shut... ♪ - (sings along) ♪ Your mouth ♪
- ♪ And if you don't know ♪ ♪ Then now you know it, babe ♪
♪ Know it, babe ♪ - She's good.
- ♪ Right now, I'm in a state of mind ♪
- This feels like classic Ariana in the best way.
- She's so pretty and talented.
- ♪ ...pickin' it up ♪ ♪ I'm lovin', I'm livin',
I'm pickin' it up ♪
- She's very sassy with her music. I think I like that.
- She put on a free concert, brought out a ton of stars,
raised a ton of money. That's amazing.
She's using her platform for good.
- (FBE) So, the next song is called "borderline"
and features Missy Elliott. - Oh, dang!
That's a throwback. I haven't heard that name in a while.
- ♪ Once you tastin' my ice cream, I bet you won't ever leave ♪
♪ I know it's hard to believe ♪ - Ooh, I like this.
It's kind of funky.
- (Missy) ♪ I'm like, you got me... ♪ - Yes!
- (Missy) ♪ Got me feeling so out of place ♪
♪ Think 'bout you... ♪ - Missy's still got it.
- Everybody loves Missy. You just have to.
- (Missy) ♪ Not tryna cuff you or crowd your space ♪
♪ I'm tryna find you words just to say ♪
♪ "Dang, you fine and..." ♪ - I like how she's going
with all female rappers. - ♪ Baby, I just want you
to be mine ♪ - I could tell Pharrell
produced this one. - ♪ Won't you give me
a bit of your time, oh ♪ - This slaps.
I'm gonna throw this on and "sweetener."
Those are my two off this album so far.
- Ariana Grande definitely has a bit of a younger fan base,
so I'm wondering if this is their first exposure to Missy Elliott.
- (FBE) The next track, "better off" is rumored to be
about her ex-boyfriend, rapper Mac Miller.
- Oh. Did they date? I missed that.
- ♪ Steering clear of any headaches to start ♪
♪ And if we're being honest ♪ - I remember I was such a fan
of those two. I was like, "Ariana and Mac Miller
are gonna be together forever."
- ♪ I'm better off without him ♪
- Aww, that's sad. - That is really honest.
It's really pretty, though.
- ♪ ...that I'm better off not being around ya ♪
- She sounds so sweet. Passively aggressive sweet.
- ♪ I swear my love is a curse, make you head over shoes... ♪
- Feel that groove? - ♪ ...head over shoes ♪
♪ Let's put them topics to bed and go [bleep] on the roof ♪
- Oh my god. She got explicit. (giggles)
- Her putting it on the album was just, "I'm gonna tell the world
and be done with it so people stop spreading rumors and lies."
- ♪ I got you, I got you dreamin' ♪ ♪ You close your eyes
and you're screamin' ♪ - Again with that beat.
- ♪ I know you love how I tease it ♪
♪ Why'd you have to be so cute? ♪ - Ooh, I really like the effects.
- ♪ ...impossible to ignore you, ah ♪ ♪ Why must you make me... ♪
- I will say the album's very cohesive.
All the songs seem to fit together, which is good.
- ♪ ...we get along so well ♪ ♪ Just say goodnight and... ♪
- Okay, the drop is more like EDM.
- That surprised me. That's kind of out of your regular,
but, I mean, all right, Ariana.
- I love it. EDM is becoming so mainstream now. It's great.
- (FBE) So the next song is titled "pete davidson."
- The one she's engaged to right now, right? Okay.
- ♪ I thought you into my life, whoa ♪ ♪ Look at my mind, yeah ♪
♪ No better place or a time, look ♪ ♪ How they align ♪
- This is adorable.
- ♪ Universe must have my back ♪ - Aww.
- She sounds happy. - ♪ And I know you know
that you're my soulmate and all... ♪
- I love the difference between this one
and the one about her ex.
- I think it's weird, though, that she put her breakup song
and then her new relationship song in the same album.
That's kind of shady. - We all have opinions
about celebrities' personal lives and stuff. I also don't think
it's any of our business, though. Who cares if they started dating
in May and then got engaged in the next?
That is their relationship!
- (FBE) Finally, we have "get well soon."
The song finishes with 40 seconds of silence,
bringing the total running time of the song to five minutes
and 22 seconds, the same date of the Manchester attack
on May 22nd.
- Like, it's just silence, but when you think about that...
(softly) She's so creative.
- ♪ Yeah, we talking about it ♪ ♪ To deal with it ♪
♪ Don't try to get by it ♪ - Interesting.
- ♪ Ain't no time to deny it ♪ - I like the piano in it.
- ♪ You can work your way to the top ♪
- This is uplifting.
- ♪ I don't care who is gone ♪ ♪ I don't care who is gone ♪
♪ You shouldn't be alone ♪ ♪ You shouldn't be alone ♪
- Ooh, all those harmonies there.
- I feel like she's really taking influences
from 2000s R&B singers in this song.
- ♪ You can feel it, feel it ♪ (bell rings softly)
- Just that little... at the end. Oh, man.
- This one and the other one dedicated to the attack,
those are my favorites just 'cause there's more emotion to them.
- The only songs that I heard that were different
were just three songs, and the rest of the songs
sounded like things she has done before.
But the lyrics and the meaning of it were different.
It was more of a more mature Ariana Grande.
- (FBE) So finally, after listening to "Sweetener" today,
do you think this is an album you will listen to again
or is it one and done for you?
- One and done, except for a couple songs.
- I'm for sure listening to it.
- I don't see myself really listening to it.
Not my cup of tea really.
- Yeah, of course. I love what she puts out.
- I'm definitely gonna go on my Spotify
and then download some songs. I've always though Ariana Grande
was pretty meh, like, there's nothing special about her.
But after this album, she's very unique
and a special artist now. - I've been listening to her
for a while now. She's so impressive.
She really knows how to give fans what they want
and then some. And it's like, this is that album.
It was like she already had me, and then she pushed it over.
And I'm like, "Thank you."
- Thanks for watching this "sweet" episode
of College Kids React, and shoutout to Lisa Kazmier.
- What other artists should we react to next?
Let us know in the comments. And shoutout to Alicia Bruno.
- Shoutout to all the Arianators out there! See ya.
- Hi, guys. JC here, producer here at FBE.
Make sure to subscribe to this channel
and to subscribe to the React Channel.
We have an Ariana Grande lyric breakdown there.
Make sure to check it out. Bye, guys.