AlthoughAriana Grandegraced the small screen on the hit Nickelodeon showVictoriousas the kind-natured albeit naiveCat Valentine, she achieved global fame as a singer. Her 2013 debut single, “The Way,” featuringMac Miller, and the albumYours Trulyearned her a top ten hit on the Billboard Hot 100 music chart, cementing her as a pop music icon. Despite her young age, her powerhouse vocals and engaging stage presence have also led to comparisons withlegends likeMariah Carey. While Grande recently stated that she’d like to take a step back from music for a while and focus on her acting career, fans are revisiting her extensive music catalog.Her last album,Eternal Sunshine, which produced hits such as ‘Yes, And?’ and ‘We Can’t Be Friends,’ was inspired bynone other than The Beatles.
The Beatles Inspired Ariana Grande’s Album ‘Eternal Sunshine’
Ariana Grande is one of today’s most versatile and talented artists. At just 31 years old, she has already achieved a great deal in her career, including nine number-one songs (96 of which have charted), six number-one albums, four world tours, the biggest Broadway adaptation film in cinematic history, multiple Grammy Awards, and nominations at theGolden GlobesandAcademy Awards.As the superstar gears up to promote her movieWicked: For Good, she is, at least temporarily, taking the focus off of her singing career, “I’m always going to make music. I’m always going to go on stage. I’m always going to do pop stuff, I pinky promise, but I don’t think doing it at the rate that I’ve been doing for the past 10 years is where I see the next 10 years,” revealed Grande on the Las Culturistas podcast in November 2024. “I think I love acting; I love musical theater.”
Ariana Grande’s ‘Eternal Sunshine’ Album Is Getting a Deluxe Edition With a New Short Film
The pop star and recent Oscar nominee has officially announced the deluxe edition of her hit album
As fans will know, Grande’s last album (to date),Eternal Sunshine, was released in March 2024. The album marked a turning point in Grande’s musical career, as it set the record for the most-streamed album in a single day on Spotify. Not only was the album a commercial success, peaking at number one on the Billboard 200 chart, but it was also a critical hit,earning praise from Rolling Stone magazine, which referred to the album as a gorgeous form of escapism. The album, which features 13 tracks and includes a deluxe edition, adding to a total of 19, is arguably one of Grande’s best pop albums. But just who helped to inspire it?
According to Grande, The Beatles were partially responsible for the sound of the album.Grande revealed this in 2024 during a New York City playback session for the album. She stated that while she was working onEternal Sunshine, she was listening to The Beatles' 1965 albumRubber Soul.The Beatles are also a band Grande has long been a fan of.In an interview with Zach Sang’s radio show,Grande mentioned that the song “Imperfect For You” was inspired by The Beatles.“I love it so much,”she stated.“I think sonically it’s my favorite; it’s very different for me. It’s very, like, trippyRubber Soulvibes,and that is kind of my favorite music to listen to, and I don’t think I’ve ever really explored it for myself, but it just felt really fun to lean into it and make something like super trippy ‘60s organic feeling, you know? Just capturing that kind of thing.”
The Beatles Inspired Ariana — But These Female Artists Shaped Her Sound
Ariana Grande may be a massive fan of The Beatles, butshe’s also a fan of many other artists. The “Focus On Me” singer has long been lauded for her strong vocals and varied range. Her musical talent emerged at a young age when she performed on stage in several musicals at a children’s theater in her native Florida. She later sang semi-professionally at various events, such as on a cruise ship alongside a band.
In 2011, she signed with Republic and released her first studio album,Yours Truly, in 2013, following years of starring onNickelodeonshowVictorious,where she also frequently provided vocals for its soundtrack. The record, a mesh of pop and R&B, was an instant success and set the stage for Grande to become the global music star she is today. Naturally,Grande has many female vocalists whom she has long looked up to and creditsas helping to pave the way for her massive career. In a 2013interview with Billboard magazine,Grande cited artists: Imogen Heap, India.Arie, Judy Garland, Whitney Houston, and Brandy.“Whitney holds such a special place in my heart,” said Grande. “She inspired me to start singing as a little girl. I’d watchThe Bodyguardand tell my mom I wanted to do that one day. Her riffs are so precise and I love her tone. She’s my inspiration.”
