RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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Ariana Grande ‘s eighth studio album has blossomed, with the pop star finally unveiling Petal — on which she allows herself to be angrier and more authentic than ever before — on Friday (July 31).
Hitting streaming services at midnight ET, the set features a total of 12 tracks, all but one of which fans hadn’t heard before. The only song Grande released as a single ahead of time was “Hate That I Made You Love Me,” which dropped in June and debuted atop the Billboard Hot 100 , marking the star’s 10th career No. 1 on the chart. She’d also posted snippets of the a cappella vocals from “Oh Well” and “Freak” on Instagram, as well as debuted the album’s phenomenal title track at an Eternal Sunshine show in Montreal.
Beyond the music itself, Grande also revealed before Petal ‘s arrival that it was “written from a place … [of] unfiltered rage.” Upon the delivery of the full bouquet of songs, it’s clear that the previously unheard portions of the album definitely live up to that description, with the Wicked actress holding nothing back as she takes stock of her relationship to the public and the gossip about her personal life she’s faced for years.
The new album marks Grande’s latest since Eternal Sunshine , which dropped in 2024 and spent three weeks atop the Billboard 200 , spawning two Hot 100 No. 1 hits: “Yes, And?” and “We Can’t Be Friends (Wait for Your Love).” Last year, she treated fans to a deluxe version of the LP featuring five brand new songs accompanied by a short film.
The Grammy winner is now more than halfway done with her Eternal Sunshine trek, the rest of which may or may not feature additional Petal tracks incorporated into the setlist. After closing out the tour with a 10-night stay at the O2 Arena in London, she’ll prepare for the promotional cycle of her next acting project, Focker-in-Law , which premieres in November, after which she’ll star alongside Jonathan Bailey in a West End production of Sunday in the Park With George in 2027.
Listen to Petal below.
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