Ariana Grande showed the world what she was made of on her 2013 debut, Yours Truly, a classic case of “great voice”, and “catchy love song”,” with influences from the nineties R&B artist, Babyface. My Everything is where the 21-year-old starlet grows up. It’s a confident, intelligent, pop statement, mixing bubblegum pop vocals with techno/hip-hop beats and setting the bar high with features from artists like Iggy Azalea, The Weeknd, Big Sean, and A$ap Ferg. The summer smash “Break Free” sets the tone, Grande sings, “This is the part when I break free,” while producer Zedd builds up those soft as a whisper melodies, until the bass explodes and so does Grande

Unlike most of today’s young pop royals, Grande’s star power is rooted in her Mariah Carey-esque sound as a singer. She has a more range fulfilling voice than most artists around her age.  While she’s far from the only diva-in-training to aim for Mariah’s squeaky octave-goosing frills and Whitney’s grit and growl, very few have Grande’s sensitive touch. She knows how to not over do it, even when she opens the LP with a mostly a cappella intro.

The strength of her voice makes sense because she’s usually singing about how all these boys are driving her out of her mind. Grande doesn’t have much interest in mushy ballads where she plays the victim – she’s an I’m-moving-on-type, which is what gives her voice its emotional kick. “Break Your Heart Right Back” is a righteous manifesto for young women all over this land, as well as a reminder of why your little sister is more punk than you are.      Over all the new Ariana Grande album is a great album to listen to. It’s empowering and easy for all to enjoy.