Everything We Know About Ariana Grande’s New Album ‘Eternal Sunshine’ | GRAMMY.com (2024)

Superstar Ariana Grande has officially announced the release of her next studio album — and per usual, she sent the internet ablaze. Fans of the two-time GRAMMY-winning pop singer can mark their calendars for Grande’s official return with eternal sunshine on March 8.

Grande has been topping charts for more than a decade after first breaking into the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100 with her debut single, "The Way," featuring Mac Miller, from her debut album, 2013’s Yours Truly.

Just days before announcing eternal sunshine — her first album since 2020’s Positions — Grande released the lead single "yes, and?" which teased a new disco-inspired sound that has fans and critics alike abuzz for more.

Ahead of the release, here’s everything GRAMMY.com currently knows about eternal sunshine.

The Album Will Be Released On March 8

On Jan. 17, Grande unveiled the album’s cover art, title and March 8 release date on social media. The singer’s mom took to her daughter’s Instagram post to share her elation about the upcoming release. "woooohoooo!!! here we f—ing go!!!" she wrote. "you're incredible ... the album is perfection!!! so proud.. Xooxxox". We love a proud mom moment.

The Artwork Reflects A New Direction

In a striking departure from her neutral style, Grande dons red lipstick in the cover art for eternal sunshine. A powerful statement, this deliberate and unapologetic choice stands as a potent symbol of confidence, defiance, and courage.

The album’s cover art, featuring a close-up, partially obscured shot of Grande’s face with a soft motion blur, also reflects the tumultuous swirl of media attention surrounding her personal life. It sets the tone for the album, signaling a new era of boldness and artistic maturity. Grande appears to be reclaiming the narrative, transforming a symbol traditionally associated with stigma into one of strength and resilience.

She’s Working With Max Martin Again

Grande’s back to work with GRAMMY-winning producer and songwriter Max Martin, who has co-written and co-produced songs on five of her seven albums. After not collaborating on 2020's Positions, Martin is seemingly back on board for eternal sunshine, as he co-wrote "yes, and?". ( "yes, and?" was co-written and co-produced by another frequent Grande and Martin collaborator, Ilya Salmanzadeh.)

She’s Ready To Clap Back

As Grande released "yes, and?" on Jan. 12, she also sent a message with the music video; it’s a direct response to fans, critics, and commenters judging Grande’s life and career.

The video opens with a skit that features naysayers, making watercooler commentary including, "I mean who cares if she’s happy. I don’t want happy, I want art," and "I think I liked her better when her ponytail was a few centimeters higher." After being ushered and sat in a room full of stone statues, the characters watch astonished as the statues crumble and Grande appears to stomp over the rubble before launching into the disco-inspired dance track.

More pops of red appear throughout the otherwise monochrome video: a red invitation from “Ari” that appears in the first few seconds of the skit and Grande’s own glossy, manicured nails.

Her Fellow Superstars Are Pumped

Momma Grande isn’t the only one excited for eternal sunshine. When Ari posted photos and video clips from the studio on Instagram in December, she had several celebs screaming with joy.

"FINALLY," commented Selena Gomez, with Billie Eilish eagerly demanding, "UN MUTE PLS" and SZA adding, "Oh this bout to eat." But Grande’s frequent co-writer Victoria Monét may have put it best: "She’s HOME!"

She’s Already Back To Topping The Charts

Although Billboard charts were unavailable as of press time, "yes, and?" premiered at the top position on the Spotify Global Chart, marking her most significant streaming debut on Spotify ever. The single also secured the No.1 position on Apple Music Top 100 Global Chart and the official music video for the single "yes, and?" grabbed the top spot on YouTube’s Trending For Music category.

If that success is any indication for what’s to come upon eternal sunshine’s full release in March, Grande’s return may be her most grande yet.

Something has changed within me! The first trailer for Wicked: Part 1 premiered during Super Bowl LVIII starring Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo.

The teaser gives fans a peek at the first, fortuitous meeting between Grande’s Glinda and Erivo’s Elphaba on their first day at (dear old) Shiz University. Letting out a frightened shriek, the future Good Witch of the North marvels, “Oh! You’re green!” to which Elphie plays along, staring at her hands in awe before agreeing, “I am!”

Elsewhere in the teaser, Elphaba dons her famous black witch’s hat before revealing, “Something just takes over me, and when it does, bad things happen” as Glinda floats into frame in her iconic bubble, all dolled up in a frilly pink gown with matching crown and scepter.

While Wicked lovers don’t get a sneak peek attwo-time GRAMMY winner Grande Grande singing any of Glinda’s songs in the trailer, we do get to hear strains of “Defying Gravity” as the clip introduces Jonathan Bailey as Fiyero, Michelle Yeoh as Madame Morrible and Jeff Goldblum as the Wonderful Wizard of Oz, with the latter ominously promising, “The best way to bring folks together is to give them a real good enemy.”

The trailer ends with Glinda and Elphaba arriving hand-in-hand at the Emerald City to meet the Wizard, with Grande whispering, “Don’t be afraid” and Erivo replying, “I’m not afraid; it’s the Wizard who should be afraid of me.” Cue the Wicked Witch bursting out of a window and taking flight for the first time as she lets roar the beloved final riff at the end of “Defying Gravity.”

Wicked: Part 1 is scheduled to hit theaters nationwide on Thanksgiving Day 2024 and also stars Ethan Slater, Marissa Bode, Bowen Yang, Keala Settle and Adam James. Watch the trailer above.

Post Malone Goes Country for “America The Beautiful” at Super Bowl LVIII

With seven GRAMMY nominations at the 2024 GRAMMYs, Victoria Monét has officially entered her pop star era in epic fashion. But the singer/songwriter is far from an overnight sensation — she's been laying the groundwork for her breakthrough success for over a decade.

With the 2023 release of her debut album, Jaguar II, Monét materialized years of writing blockbuster hits for Ariana Grande, Chloe x Halle, Selena Gomez and more into an acclaimed artist career of her own. Along with her GRAMMY nominations — including Best New Artist — she embarked on her first headlining tour and scored her first No. 1 hit.

It's the kind of success Monét has been working toward her entire life, and particularly since attending a performing arts program during high school in her hometown of Sacramento. Whether writing for herself or others, Monét has a relatability that resonates with any listener; her introspective lyricism touches on everything from love, heartache and sexuality to empowerment and friendship. Her sleek, instrument-driven R&B stylings feel familiar yet fresh, bringing elements of dancehall, old-school slow jams, upbeat pop, reggae, hip-hop, trap, alternative R&B and country into the genre.

"She really puts in the work and she is being rewarded now more than ever for it," producer D'Mile, who has known Monét since the beginning of her career, tells GRAMMY.com. "She grows more and more confident and sure about what she's aiming for as she continues her journey."

D'Mile worked with Monét on her 2020 project, Jaguar, one of six EPs Monét had released before Jaguar II. While she garnered buzz for Jaguar, its sultry and dreamy follow-up took her artistry and acclaim to another level. Along with Jaguar II garnering hundreds of millions of streams, Monét saw legendary artists like Anita Baker and mega producer Jimmy Jam singing her praises, and both Jay-Z and former President Barack Obama included "On My Mama" on their favorite songs of 2023 playlists.

"I'm hoping that people who do find me now are along for the ride for the long run, or stay around until I do a Vegas residency when I'm 70 or something," the Georgia-born singer told Variety in December. "I'm just excited for the journey. I feel like it's definitely uphill right now."

Back in the late 2000s when Myspace reigned supreme, Monét's long-held dreams of becoming a professional singer were finally realized. After sending a friend request to Rodney "Darkchild" Jerkins — the GRAMMY-winning producer behind countless iconic tracks like Monica's "The Boy Is Mine" and Destiny's Child's "Say My Name," and one of Monét's biggest influences — he invited her to audition for a girl group, Purple Reign, he was putting together for Motown Records.

Monét packed her bags and headed to L.A. to join the group, but they were dropped before releasing any music. Stuck in L.A. and needing to make ends meet, the singer turned to songwriting — and little did she know, her backup plan would change everything.

In just a few years, she had helped pen songs for the likes of Diddy Dirty Money, Nas, T.I., and Coco Jones (the latter of whom is now a fellow Best New Artist nominee). Along the way, she met Ariana Grande during the pop star's stint at Nickelodeon, and the two have been close collaborators since. After working together on two songs for Grande's debut, 2013's Yours Truly, Monét has co-written a majority of the superstar's subsequent albums through 2020's Positions and featured on 2019's "Monopoly."

In fact, Monét's first GRAMMY nominations were for her work with Grande. In 2020, her songwriting on Grande's 2019 LP, Thank U, Next, earned a nod for Album Of The Year as well as Record Of The Year for its braggadocious single "7 Rings." (Monét notched her third nomination as a songwriter the following year, for Best R&B Song for Chloe x Halle's "Do It.")

"Victoria is a brilliant collaborator, musician, writer and just as brilliant of a friend. She is a very pure person and I think that's why we connect the way we do," Grande told Billboard in 2019. "She is a timeless writer and vocalist and one of the nicest people I know and truly deserves the world. I'm so proud of the work we've done together and so excited to watch her grow as an artist."

Though her success with Grande was abundant, Monét admitted that there came a point where she felt her songwriting overshadowed her artistry. She had released four EPs from 2014 to 2018, all of which showcased a more exploratory sound than Jaguar II, but remained rooted in R&B. In 2020, she decided it was time to honor, as she put it, "what the little girl in me wanted to do": perform.

The COVID-19 pandemic presented challenges for Monét's fifth EP, 2020's Jaguar; first, a five-month delay of the release, and second, the inability to perform it live. Yet, her star was on the rise: Jaguar became Monét's first charting project, landing in the top 20 of the Hip-Hop/R&B charts in both the U.S. and the UK as well as No. 1 on Billboard's Heatseekers Albums chart in August 2020.

The following February, she welcomed her first child, a daughter, Hazel. After experiencing postpartum depression, she decided to channel her struggles into music — and it resulted in her breakthrough hit.

"On My Mama," the third single from her debut full-length album, Jaguar II, is a brassy throwback to the sultry, head-bopping R&B jams of the late '90s/early '00s, with luscious stacked harmonies and self-affirming lyrics ripe with a mix of sexy innuendos and clever wordplay ("They say, 'Ooh, she smell good'/ That's just 'cause I'm Heaven-sent").

The catchy bop — which samples Chalie Boy's 2009 Dirty South anthem, "I Look Good" — was an instant radio hit and earned the singer her first two No. 1s on Billboard charts (she topped the Mainstream R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay tally for 2 weeks in November 2023 and the R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay list in December). The song's feel-good music video, which has racked up over 33 million views on YouTube as of press time, features Chali Boy, Hazel and, of course, her mom.

The swaggy ode to self-empowerment scored two GRAMMY noms, Record Of The Year and Best R&B Song. Along with those and her Best New Artist nod, Jaguar II helped Monét earn seven nominations in total, including Best R&B Album, Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical, Best R&B Performance ("How Does It Make You Feel") and Best Traditional R&B Performance ("Hollywood").

After a long and winding road, Monét has proven that her artistry is as impactful as her songwriting. As D'Mile notes, a big reason she's now seeing success is because she's done her homework as much as she's laid her groundwork.

"She studies the greats. Janet, Beyoncé..." D'Mile says. "We went to see the 'Renaissance' film. Mind you, she already saw it at the premiere. But this time, I was next to her and I can literally feel her watching the movie with different eyes than probably everyone else in the room."

This dedication is on full display in her music videos and in her live performances. She hit the road for her first-ever headlining tour in 2023, dazzling fans with high-energy choreography and elite vocal control reminiscent of Bey herself — and selling out all 22 shows minutes after tickets went on sale.

Amid the final dates of the tour, the 2024 GRAMMY nominations arrived. And not only did Monét receive her first nominations as an artist in her own right, but she earned perhaps her biggest validation to date: a Best New Artist nomination.

"I had something to prove. It wasn't just handed to me," Monét recently told Variety. "So it's all a part of why I think things are coming to fruition now: It's just time. It's almost like, 'Alright girl — you didn't give up. We're going to give you something.'"

Monét's career trajectory continues to skyrocket as she prepares for Music's Biggest Night. In the weeks leading up to the 66th GRAMMY Awards, Monét has earned nominations from ASCAP and the NAACP Image Awards, and she's set to receive the Rising Star award at the Billboard Women in Music Awards in March. And while she hasn't announced tour plans for 2024, she is on the bill for two massive festivals; Monét is set to make her Coachella debut in April and play Governor's Ball in New York City in June.

And whether or not she scores a golden gramophone on Feb. 4, Monét already feels like a winner.

"I feel now is the time to stand my ground, and be proud of what I am, and who I am," she told CBS News on Jan. 30, days before the 2024 GRAMMYs. "This is one step closer to a really big dream."

Britney Spears recently posted a message on Instagram that asserted she'd never return to the music business. She later deleted it, which could be taken as a sign that she hasn't made this big decision with such finality. But it was certainly an alarming statement to her diehard fans eagerly awaiting new music.

It's fair to hold out hope that Spears will want to be a public entertainer and recording artist again in some ways — after all, she did just release a memoir, The Woman in Me, in October, and the book reveals a healing woman. And, of course, she scored a worldwide hit in 2022 with Elton John in "Hold Me Closer."

Even if she never releases another piece of music, Spears already has quite the legacy. Between five No. 1 singles on the Billboard Hot 100, six No. 1 albums on the Billboard 200, and a GRAMMY win, her mark on pop music is undeniable. Part of that impact is courtesy of "Toxic," the danceable smash that was released as a single in January 2004 (and won Spears her GRAMMY in 2005).

In honor of the 20th anniversary of "Toxic," GRAMMY.com surveyed the pop superstar's hits and deep cuts from 1998 to the present in order to break down some of the most essential tracks in Spears' catalog. Between beautiful ballads and brazen bops, let the reminiscing commence.

"...Baby, One More Time," ...Baby One More Time (1998)

Written and co-produced by powerhouse Swedish pop producer Max Martin — a frequent collaborator throughout Spears' career — the singer's debut single was rewarded with some of the highest honors of the music industry when she was just 17 years old.

"...Baby, One More Time" topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart and was nominated for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance at the 42nd GRAMMY Awards. It has since sold over 10 million copies, and to this day remains one of her defining hits. (And to think it almost wasn't hers: According to Yahoo! News Australia, the song was reportedly originally offered to the Backstreet Boys.)

The song's instantly meteoric success was undoubtedly catapulted by its memorable video, which sees Spears dance her way through private school halls in a (now iconic) skimpy uniform. Seeing it performed visually cemented her image as a young, belly-baring flirt with girl-next-door looks, approachable style and enviable dancing skills, an archetype that little girls everywhere wanted to emulate.

"Oops!... I Did It Again," Oops!... I Did It Again (2000)

Spears further played with her innocent image on "Oops!... I Did It Again," a sassy song that suggests suitors aren't exactly safe with their heart in her hands. It was nominated for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance at the 43rd GRAMMYs.

"I think I did it again," she sings at the top of the track. "I made you believe we're more than just friends." Spawning another classic video and another trademark look (this time, a red catsuit), "Oops" emphasized Spears' further pivot into naughtiness and had thousands learning her choreography in a pre-YouTube era.

Another Max Martin and Rami Yacoub production, "Oops" stuck at No. 9 on the Billboard Hot 100, but the album of the same name debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and set first-week records for sales by a woman artist at the time with 1,319,913 copies sold.

"Lucky," Oops!... I Did It Again (2000)

"Lucky" is a peppy song with a sprinkle of sadness on top. Its titular character is a Hollywood girl who seems to have it all, but there's no one to share her success with, so she is lonely and cries at night. It was a poignant sentiment, given her fame at the time, and was re-examined by fans in recent years as she fought for freedom from her conservatorship overseen by her father, Jamie Spears.

While it didn't manage to break the top 20 of the Hot 100, "Lucky" has always been a fan favorite. The song did break through internationally, though, becoming a No. 1 hit in three European countries as well as on Europe's overall pop chart.

"Dear Diary," Oops!... I Did It Again (2000)

Spears has worked with a global roster of songwriters and producers over the years, but the Oops! ballad "Dear Diary" marked a special moment for the star: it was the first album cut that she co-wrote.

While Oops!... I Did It Again largely showed a maturing Spears, the innocence and sweetness of "Dear Diary" served as a reminder that she was still just a teenager in the beginning of her stardom. The track also seemingly gave her the confidence to co-write more of her songs, as she had a hand in writing almost half of 2001's Britney and almost all of 2003's In the Zone.

"I'm a Slave 4 U," Britney (2001)

Spears went rather gritty on the lead single to her third, self-titled album. While earlier singles may have had a sexy wink within their words, the lyrics of "I'm a Slave 4 U" took a deeper plunge into the erotic zone. "All you people look at me like I'm a little girl," she sings defensively. "Well, did you ever think it'd be okay for me to step into this world?"

Along with the racy lyrics, Spears' visual performances of the song — a music video depiction of a steamy basem*nt club night and a VMA performance that included dancing with an Albino Burmese python around her neck — added more cultural moments to her repertoire.

"Overprotected," Britney (2001)

Spears' massive fame made her an early paparazzi magnet and led her to be sheltered by her management, record label and family. These topics are addressed head-on over the soaring notes of "Overprotected."

"Say hello to the girl that I am/ You're gonna have to see through my perspective," she declares on the opening verse. "I need to make mistakes just to learn who I am/ And I don't wanna be so damn protected."

The anthem foreshadowed her future hit "Piece of Me" — and the struggle for independence she'd later fight for during her conservatorship — but ultimately showed that she isn't afraid to speak her mind and fight for what's hers.

"I'm Not a Girl, Not Yet a Woman," Britney (2001)

After two bold statements with Britney's first two singles ("I'm a Slave 4 U" and "Overprotected"), Spears pumped the brakes on the notion of her growing up too fast in the ballad "I'm Not a Girl, Not Yet a Woman." The song appeared on her third album, Britney, and in the soundtrack for the road trip dramedy Crossroads.

"There is no need to protect me," she sings powerfully on the track, which appears to mirror her experience in real life at that moment in time. "It's time that I/ Learn to face up to this on my own/ I've seen so much more than you know now/ So don't tell me to shut my eyes."

"Toxic," In the Zone (2003)

"Toxic" is an uptempo whirlwind of sampled Bollywood strings and Swedish pop drama crafted by the popular dance pop producers Bloodshy & Avant. Another single that took on a life of its own visually, the video served up another set of iconic looks: the deadly assassin, the sparkly nude bodysuit and the perky flight attendant.

"Toxic" remains Spears' biggest hit as of press time, now certified six-times platinum by the RIAA and the only song with more than one billion streams on Spotify. It also won Spears her one GRAMMY, for Best Dance Recording at the 47th GRAMMY Awards.

And 20 years after its release as a single, "Toxic" has had remarkable staying power on the pop charts. As of 2023, the song appeared on the Hot 100 in three different incarnations: the original track and the mash-ups "Toxic Pony" by Altégo and "Toxic Las Vegas" by Jamieson Shaw.

"Everytime," In the Zone (2003)

By this era of Spears' discography, fans were more than used to autotune and other processed treatments on her singing — but "Everytime" is Spears in a more vulnerable and unplugged state. Co-written by Spears, the slow, melancholic ballad hit even harder because it was released after her public breakup with Justin Timberlake.

Fans hadn't heard anything quite as sad from Spears in her career as the pining lyrics of the chorus on "Everytime": "And every time I try to fly I fall/ Without my wings/ I feel so small/ I guess I need you, baby." The song became a fan favorite for the rawness of her vocal delivery, and was also a personal favorite for Spears during her Las Vegas concert residency.

"Womanizer," Circus (2008)

Spears' father began his role as her conservator in February 2008. Seven months later, she released "Womanizer," the lead single to her sixth album, Circus — which proved that no one was going to hold her down.

"You say I'm crazy," she sneers on the chorus of the engine-roaring uptempo track, which pokes fun at recent troubles with her ex-husband Kevin Federline. "I got your crazy!" she adds, sarcastically.

While the song's message focused on telling off a, well, womanizer, its commercial success showed Spears' new conservatorship meant nothing for her staying power. "Womanizer" was her first No. 1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 since "...Baby, One More Time" topped the chart in January 1999; it also earned Spears her seventh GRAMMY nomination, for Best Dance Recording at the 2010 GRAMMYs.

"If You Seek Amy," Circus (2008)

If the title to the sing-songy "If You Seek Amy" is said out loud, it sounds like a sexual proposition. And that's exactly what makes this Max Martin-produced track so enjoyable.

Despite everything she was experiencing in her personal life, it offered evidence that Spears still knew how to poke fun at her staying at the center of attention. It's a perfect time capsule to an era when she was most wanted by the paparazzi.

"Hold It Against Me," Femme Fatale (2011)

Spears' "Hold It Against Me" flips an old chauvinistic joke into girl power — another clever piece added to the singer's puzzle. After being objectified so much over the course of her career, this song was her bid to put an end to it.

"Hold It Against Me" continued Spears' late 2000s hot streak into the 2010s. It earned the singer her fourth No. 1 on the Hot 100, following the chart-topping success of "3," her cheeky ode to threesomes, in 2009.

"Work B—," Britney Jean (2013)

Spears assumes a faux British accent for "Work B—," a bossy cut made for gyms or the club. "You want a hot body? You want a Bugatti? You want a Maserati?" she asks over an insistent beat. "You better work, b—… now get to work, b—!"

Shortly after the track was released in 2013, Spears told English talk show host Alan Carr that the song is a tribute to her gay male friends, with whom she uses the word b— playfully and affectionately as a term of endearment. It became both a gay club anthem and a top 20 hit on the Hot 100 chart, and the video revived interest in Spears' dancing chops.

"Slumber Party (feat. Tinashe), Glory (2016)

A slightly different sound for Spears compared to her pop and dance productions, "Slumber Party" features Tinashe with a lyrical cadence that is more in the R&B singer's realm. It's perhaps the Spears song with the most urban radio feel since "I'm a Slave 4 U."

Fans may also remember "Slumber Party" fondly for what was once a romantic reason: Spears' now ex-husband Sam Asghari was cast as the leading man in the lingerie-heavy music video; it's how they first met each other.

"Hold Me Closer" with Elton John, The Lockdown Sessions (2022)

What better way to celebrate a big feat than with a massive collaboration? Nine months after Spears' long-fought conservatorship was terminated, she dropped a team-up with none other than Sir Elton John.

The unexpected duo released "Hold Me Closer," a soaring duet that interpolates parts of John's beloved hits "Tiny Dancer," "Don't Go Breaking My Heart" and "The One" into a singular modern mix. And though Spears is more of a background vocalist, her first release in six years marked quite the comeback: "Hold Me Closer" topped the Billboard Adult Top 40 and the Hot Dance/Electronic Songs charts, and reached No. 6 on the Hot 100.

As of press time, "Hold Me Closer" is the last song that Spears has released to date. While it's possible that there may not be any more recordings to follow, it's also safe to say she has surprised the world more than once before.

How Many GRAMMYs Has Britney Spears Won? 10 Questions About The "Hold Me Closer" Singer Answered

January always marks fresh starts and clean slates as the world collectively turns the page from one year to the next. The world of music is no exception: the second week of 2024 is filled with artists embarking on new eras and album cycles.

On the full-length front, 21 Savage unveiled his third solo LP, american dream, with guest assists from the likes of Summer Walker ("Prove It"), Doja Cat ("N.H.I.E."), Young Thug and Metro Boomin ("Pop Ur S–t") and more while Kali Uchis celebrates her just-announced first pregnancy with longtime boyfriend Don Toliver by delivering her second Spanish-language studio set Orchídeas.

Meanwhile, Reneé Rapp brings the new Mean Girls musical movie to life as Gen Z's Regina George, with a soundtrack that also features Megan Thee Stallion, Auli'i Cravalho, Angourie Rice and more, and K-pop act ITZY makes a statement on their sophom*ore Korean-language album, Born To Be, which gives all five members a chance to shine with individual solo tracks on top of swaggering bangers like "Untouchable" and the title track.

In addition to star-studded album drops, Jan. 12 sees several big single releases too. Press play on hotly anticipated musical resets from Ariana Grande and Lil Nas X, lead singles from Jennifer Lopez and Sheryl Crow, and a monumental collaboration between D'Angelo and Jay-Z for the new movie The Book of Clarence below.

Ariana Grande — "yes, and?"

Ariana Grande is officially back and ready to own everything. For "yes, and?" — her first new musical offering since 2020's Positions — the superstar is doling out heavy-hitting words to live by, disguised as a glossy pop confection that takes an irresistible cue from Madonna's "Vogue."

Both an exercise in self-affirmation and a runway-ready Pride anthem, "yes, and?" finds Grande unapologetically sharing her truth in a way she hasn't since 2018's "thank u, next." Her voice dripping with honey, the soon-to-be Wicked star slyly addresses the recent tabloid fodder surrounding her personal life.

"Now I'm so done with caring/ What you think, no, I won't hide/ Underneath your own projections/ Or change my most authentic life," she vows in between spine-tingling harmonies and plenty of vocal fireworks. Ari only gets more blunt from there, clapping back with her whole chest about the obsession with her body, relationship status, sex life and more. In her words, "Yes…and?"

Jennifer Lopez — "Can't Get Enough"

Jennifer Lopez's ninth studio album, This Is Me… Now, has been a long time coming. But if lead single "Can't Get Enough" is any indication, the sequel to 2002's This Is Me… Then will be well worth the wait when it arrives Feb. 16. The track, which samples the late Alton Ellis' 1967 release "Still in Love," is a fizzy, funky delight that pops like a blast of champagne straight out the bottle.

On the song's chorus, the multi-hyphenate superstar giddily professes just how much she loves being in love (and back in love with now-husband Ben Affleck). And while the accompanying music video pokes fun at her trio of past marriages, fans can rest assured she's singing the lovestruck lyrics to the same Dunkin'-lovin' guy she was serenading 21 years ago on This Is Me… Then.

Jeymes Samuel x D'Angelo x Jay-Z — "I Want You Forever"

A new D'Angelo single would be a major event. So would a new Jay-Z single. After all, it's quickly coming up on 10 years since the neo-soul star released his last album, 2014's Black Messiah and the rap mogul's last solo single was the title track off 2017's 4:44.

However, director Jeymes Samuel managed to coax both men back into the studio to join forces for the soundtrack of his new biblical film The Book of Clarence starring Lakeith Stanfield. On "I Want You Forever," D'Angelo holds court with a hypnotic, repetitive hook before ceding the mic to Hov for the song's lone, pleading verse.

Lil Nas X — "J CHRIST"

Nearly three years after giving the devil a lap dance in the hellish music video for his No. 1 hit "Montero (Call Me By Your Name)," Lil Nas X is flipping the script and ascending to heaven on his new single "J CHRIST." Well, not for too long — turns out a giant stripper pole connects the celestial realm with the fires of purgatory, and Lil Nas X is equally at home in each.

The track's high-concept, cinematic music video has it all: angelic doppelgängers of everyone from Taylor Swift, Mariah Carey and Oprah to Michael Jackson and Barack Obama; Lil Nas cooking up a cauldron filled with human limbs; and yes, even the rapper pinned to a cross in a visual sure to enrage the critics who were already up in arms before the track was even released. But by song's end, as Lil Nas X takes on the role of Noah emerging from a worldwide flood, the GRAMMY winner makes clear the hip-hop banger isn't just religious cosplay — it's a new beginning.

Sheryl Crow — "Evolution"

Sheryl Crow is uncharacteristically on edge on "Evolution," the lead single and title track of her forthcoming 11th studio album. The queen of bright singer/songwriter jams like "All I Wanna Do" and "Soak Up the Sun" (and newly inducted Rock and Roll Hall of Famer) takes aim at the encroaching threat of artificial intelligence to the music industry and creativity at large on the spacey track.

To top it all off, she even recruited Tom Morello of Rage Against the Machine to concoct a supercharged guitar solo that ratchets the uneasiness up to 11 as Crow warns, "Where are we headed in this paradise?/ We are passengers and there's no one at the wheel."