| "Sweetener" | |
|---|---|
| Song byAriana Grande | |
| from the albumSweetener | |
| Released | August 17, 2018 (2018-8-17) |
| Studio |
|
| Genre | |
| Length | 3:28 |
| Songwriter(s) | |
| Producer(s) | Pharrell Williams |
"Sweetener" is a song by American singerAriana Grande from herfourth studio album of the same name, released in 2018. The song was written alongside producerPharrell Williams.
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It was written byAriana Grande andPharrell Williams who also handled the production. Grande's vocals were recorded by Sam Holland and Noah Passovoy at MXM Studios inLos Angeles,California, with Jeremy Lertola providing recording engineer assistance.[1] Phill Tanmixed the track, and Josh Cadwin was theaudio engineer,[1] with Andrew Coleman and Mark Larson as therecording engineer. Randy Merrill later mastered the song atSterling Sound inNew York City,New York.[1]
The song was first teased in Grande's "No Tears Left to Cry" music video, along with other songs.[2][3][4][5] Grande posted a picture of herself listening to the song on herinstagram story.[6] On July 21, 2018, a paparazzo leaked a snippet of Grande playing the song in her car, and later that day Grande confirmed the snippet on herTwitter.[7][8]
"Sweetener" runs for a total duration of three minutes and twenty-eight seconds (3:28).[9] The song was one of the first Grande wrote forSweetener.[10] Musically, the song is ahip hop andsoul song.[11][12] Lyrically, the song talks about self care andempowerment while she sings directly for her lover. There aredouble entendres in the song as well.[13] According to the sheet music published at Musicnotes.com byUniversal Music Publishing Group, the song is composed in thekey ofE Major with atempo of 120beats per minute. Grande's vocals range from the note ofF♯3 toD5.[14]
The New York Times'sJon Pareles wrote, "The sacred-secular juxtapositions continue in the title song, a Pharrell Williams production that switches between gospelly piano chords — as Ms. Grande praises how her man can 'bring the bitter taste to a halt' — and more dissonant hip-hop as she enjoys how 'you make me say 'oh!''."[15] Taylor Weatherby ofBillboard called the song "'90s-inspired".[16]The Guardian'sAlexis Petridis said, "the title track offers a bizarre, gripping splice of earthyCarole King-ish singer-songwriter piano ballad withMigos-inspired hip-hop, complete with onomatopoeic vocal interjections".[11] Spencer Kornhaber ofThe Atlantic said the song "gutsily blends the sensibilities of commencement speeches with that ofLil Pump".[17]
It has been noted by numerous online sources that the melody of the song is, consciously or unconsciously, directly inspired by theBryan Adams' songChristmas Time (Bryan Adams song), as well as harmonically by theBee Gees hitHow Deep Is Your Love (Bee Gees song).[18]
"Sweetener" received positive reception from music critics. Brittany Spanos ofRolling Stone called the song a "bouncy, almost wickedly catchy highlight" on the album.[19] In his review of the album,NME's Douglas Greenwood wrote, "There's a telling audacity to the title track. Arriving midway through the album, 'Sweetener' sees Grande sing effervescently about 'letting the sweetener in our hearts' to 'bring that bitterness to a halt', before she ushers in a trap breakdown thats sounds likeMetro Boomin messing withThe Little Mermaid soundtrack."[20] Chris DeVille ofStereogum said, "The title track is the sort of modernized throwback soul tuneMeghan Trainor might release, but rendered tastefully and produced with the detail-rich minimalism of Spoon'sKill the Moonlight."[12]
Pitchfork ranked it on its 100 best songs of 2018 list, saying that "amid the track’s svelte production — trickling percussion, cushy bass hits, a lusty and cascading synth line —Pharrell punctuates Grande’s commands with a high-pitched “sheesh!” like a steam whistle cutting through the air. It all adds up to a gleeful evocation of sensuality on an album consumed with the heady pleasures of new love. “Sweetener” carries a tender streak, too, embracing the notion of finding the good in so much bad, and toasting to the people in one’s life who encourage such perseverance. It embodies that same look-on-the-bright-side universality — a reminder that even the worst feelings can be turned into something radiant and nourishing."[21]
The song debuted on September 1, 2018 at number 55 at its peak position, being Grande's second highest-charting non-single in the US.[22] After "Breathin" was released as the third single offSweetener, it became Grande's highest-charting non-single in the US, later beaten by "Needy".
Grande debuted the song live atThe Sweetener Sessions in 2018. The song was later performed during theSweetener World Tour in 2019.
Credits and personnel adapted from theliner notes ofSweetener.[23]
Recording
Management
Personnel
| Chart (2018) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australia (ARIA)[24] | 43 |
| Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[25] | 44 |
| France (SNEP)[26] | 183 |
| Hungary (Single Top 40)[27] | 20 |
| Ireland (IRMA)[28] | 15 |
| Netherlands (Single Top 100)[29] | 77 |
| New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[30] | 40 |
| Portugal (AFP)[31] | 57 |
| Scotland (OCC)[32] | 61 |
| Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[33] | 96 |
| UK Singles (OCC)[34] | 22 |
| USBillboard Hot 100[35] | 55 |
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| Australia (ARIA)[36] | Gold | 35,000‡ |
| Brazil (Pro-Música Brasil)[37] | Platinum | 40,000‡ |
| Canada (Music Canada)[38] | Platinum | 80,000‡ |
| New Zealand (RMNZ)[39] | Gold | 15,000‡ |
| United Kingdom (BPI)[40] | Silver | 200,000‡ |
| United States (RIAA)[41] | Platinum | 1,000,000‡ |
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. | ||
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