Ten years ago, all Ariana Grande had was a pair of bunny ears and a dream. Her third studio album Dangerous Woman released on May 20th, 2016, an artistic statement that she was “not afraid to take a stand, be herself and to be honest”. Celebrated in its powerful title, Dangerous Woman is an eclectic pop collection exploring Ariana’s rebellion against female archetypes. It’s perhaps her most sonically versatile project to date, jumping from dance and electropop to soul, R&B and trap. A decade on, it’s become one of the most important entries in her catalogue.
The album cover depicts Ariana as her alter ego “Super Bunny”, shining in black latex and staring down her audience as the classic femme fatale. This vision of Grande is sexy, confident and intimidating, shot in black and white for maximum impact. It moves Grande forward from the lighter, more youthful My Everything era into true adulthood for Dangerous Woman. As she says herself on deluxe cut ‘Bad Decisions’, this image begs the question, “Ain’t you ever seen a princess be a bad b**ch?”
Fans will surely recall the tumultuous lead-up to Dangerous Woman. Ariana initially teased the album under the name ‘Moonlight’, expecting an overall more soulful style and image. But throughout the record’s development, it became clear a stronger title and more modern aesthetic would better exemplify the new music. Ariana also released the hit ‘Focus’ as the original lead single, but it would later be downgraded to a mere bonus track on the Japanese deluxe edition, as ‘Focus’ did not prove to be the style she truly wanted for her work. It’s a testament to the quality of the record that one of Grande’s biggest hits did not even make the final cut!
The original title ‘Moonlight’ stays present as the opening track. It’s a tranquil 50s-influenced ballad that perfectly encapsulates Ariana’s love for old Hollywood. “He’s giving me Elvis with some James Dean in his eyes”, she croons, over twinkling strings and dreamy violins. But it’s a deceptive introduction to what quickly transforms into a far more sensual, extravagant project. The song ‘Dangerous Woman’ follows, an R&B and doo-wop track where Grande revels in her more wild side. “All girls wanna be like that, bad girls underneath like that.”
Ariana steps into her sexuality in a big way across this record. ‘Side To Side’ is a tongue in cheek reggae bop that overtly discusses sex in an intentionally humourous, fun way. The song’s bright music video and live performances revolve around a cycle class theme that really show off Grande’s breath control; she often sings the demanding number pedalling on a bicycle, decked out in neon gym gear. ‘Side To Side’ is also Grande’s best known collaboration with Trinidadian rapper Nicki Minaj, following their 2014 smash together ‘Bang Bang’, and its successors ‘Bed’, ‘The Light Is Coming’ and ‘Bad To You’.
Other synth-focused cuts from the album also delve into this topic of sexuality. Grande’s voice utterly soars through the earth-shattering chorus melismas of ‘Bad Decisions’, then becomes more romantic on the whistle notes of ‘Touch It’. Both songs explore how Grande’s partners impact her relationship with her body and public image. The latter particularly sees her finding confidence in her bad-girl persona, a tried and tested pop star trope of the ‘good girl gone bad’ that works well for her “Bonnie and Clyde” era.
For lovers of Ariana’s more theatrical side, ‘Greedy’ is a certified classic. Made iconic thanks to Valentina’s legendary lip sync fail on season nine of RuPaul’s Drag Race, ‘Greedy’ is the glitzy, explosive disco-pop moment that boosts the album’s energy to an all-time high. Its brass section and slick bass line makes the song feel polished, innovative and exciting. Perfectly tailored to Grande’s gorgeous lyric soprano, the final key change really takes this song to the moon.
Sonically, it ties in well with one of the jazzier deep cuts, ‘Jason’s Song (Gave It Away)’ which only appears on the album’s deluxe. ‘Jason’s Song’ throws it back to Ariana’s days on Broadway starring in 13: The Musical during her early teens. Dedicated to American composer Jason Robert Brown thanks to its songwriting direction, this song’s lyrics appear to cover her split from previous management. “If you don’t want to see the girl I want to be, then why would I listen?”, she states boldly, after a smirking reference to the cultural storm around her self-expression and famous ponytail hairdo.
Those more interested in Grande’s dance and house side will love ‘Be Alright’, which now feels like the natural prelude to 2024’s ‘yes, and?’. ‘Be Alright’ is simple but effective, with its bouncy marimbas and vocal chops reminding us of Grande’s eternal commitment to optimism. And of course, the absolute standout across Dangerous Woman is ‘Into You’, a synth anthem regarded by many as one of the best pop songs of the 2010s. Produced by Max Martin and Ilya, the verses build Ariana’s smoky, sultry lows into a soaring belted chorus, that invokes the feeling of a crush blossoming into real, glittering romance.
Dangerous Woman is full of further exciting collaborations. ‘Leave Me Lonely’ with Macy Gray is a moving, moody duet about a “dangerous love” that the narrator has to leave behind, whilst ‘Let Me Love You’ with Lil Wayne is an impressively slinky late-night slow jam. Rapper Future appears on the pumping tune ‘Everyday’, which received a hilariously memorable music video depicting Grande singing beside all sorts of different couples lost in their passion for one another.
A decade on, it’s plain to see that Dangerous Woman is the album where Ariana Grande truly transformed. Breaking out of her child star image and into the woman she wants to be, it’s a thrilling collection that exemplifies the 2010s sound, and a statement that Ariana Grande “don’t need permission” to do exactly what she wants.
