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Republic Records, Babydoll Music
Producers: Ariana Grande, Ilya, Max Martin
If you are expecting a grandiose pop album from Ariana Grande, then Petal is not the album for you. Grande takes a step back with her eighth studio album—it’s more experimental with a strong focus on its pop synth arrangements. The production is airy and haunting especially on tracks like “freak” and “like i do.” Grande’s subdued vocals are a divisive stylistic choice as it makes all the songs sound repetitive and muddled. As a result, none of the songs really stand out. It’s nice to see Grande get out of her comfort zone and do something different, but it’s also disappointing that she’s hiding her amazing vocals through the production.
