mixtape #5: intentional artistry in music

thoughts on eternal sunshine, guts, and what's new in pop

Listen while you read.

I’ve always been a storyteller, which means that my fascination with music videos depended entirely on its ability to tell a compelling narrative. Although stunning visuals rarely fail to captivate me, a storyline will have me glued to my seat and reeling for days, analyzing every little subtext and reading between lines that might not even be there at all. And if that music video happens to make a callback to a different media that I adore? It immediately makes my favorites list. So you can imagine the field day I’ve been having with eternal sunshine.

Ariana Grande turned the media’s narrative on its head at the stroke of midnight on March 8. Grande spent the past few months being slandered in the press for being a homewrecker, “not a girl’s girl,” etc. But eternal sunshine gave us a peak into Grande’s truth without overstepping into her private life the way Page Six always aims to do, and simultaneously delivered (dare I say it) one of her best albums.

I wish I could say that music videos never left, but there’s been a prominent fall and rise in their popularity. I’m welcoming their comeback with open arms. “We Can’t Be Friends (wait for Your Love)” was a fantastic choice for Grande’s music video debut in her long-awaited album, and was perfectly executed. Grande put her acting history to work and brought her fans to tears. Titling her comeback album after a widely loved film placed high expectations on its shoulders, and she knew exactly how to exceed them. Grande is an expert at capturing the exact right emotions in her visuals, down to the simplicity of her album cover.

Someone else making a slew of good choices is the internet’s favorite princess, Miss Olivia Rodrigo. With the release of GUTS (spilled), the deluxe edition of her sophomore album, came her music video for “obsessed”. An angst-ridden song that went viral on TikTok after being leaked by a fan shortly after the release of GUTS, Rodrigo brought the right energy along with her blunt microbangs.

Rodrigo has quickly become a pro at knowing her audience. The girls want 2000s pop-punk; she’s gonna give it with her own twist. Instead of leaning into experimentation as many young female artists do, Rodrigo knows her brand and sticks to it. GUTS is a mature rendition of SOUR, encouraging her audience to match her pace. Her music videos are proof of that as she gives a full display of the messy, public breakdowns we wish to have now and then. Rodrigo isn’t shy about drama, and it’s why we love her.

Quick pause here to point out that smaller artists never stopped delivering incredible music videos. As recent examples, take a look at The Last Dinner Party and Chappell Roan, who also have a love for performance and recently started taking off on the internet. Ariana Grande and Olivia Rodrigo are bringing it to the forefront of pop again, but make sure you show some love to the up-and-coming girlies who are paving the way. (Newsletter on that coming soon.)

Now, I hope you won’t crucify me if I say that there’s one thing Rodrigo did that I wish Grande did a bit better: a good album closer.

I’m a sucker for an ending that really feels like an ending. I want the emotional closure, to have the entire project wrapped up into a single song. Rodrigo is starting to create a pattern with slow, acoustic ballads closing off her albums, and although they’re not my favorite songs, I hope she keeps up the tradition. On the other hand, despite eternal sunshine being a no-skip album for me, the final song left it feeling incomplete.

Some have called eternal sunshine Grande’s shakiest and most scattered work, but I’d argue that it might be her most cohesive. Grande took us on a journey of heartbreak and self-discovery in a way that makes sense for anyone who has been through a messy breakup. Although “ordinary thing” is a sweet tune that hopes things will be different this time, it failed to give me the catharsis I crave at the end of every album. This might be a hot take, but to me, the best ending to eternal sunshine would have been “i wish i hated you”—a gorgeous and intimate song that perfectly captures the bittersweet sentiments after a fresh breakup, and hands down my favorite song on the album.

Music projects meant to be listened to in order—complete with intentional transitions, a plot to pick apart, and a finale that leaves me in awe for days—have fallen off the wagon in the past three years. eternal sunshine came close to fitting the bill, but just barely missed the mark, despite being a phenomenal album. As we bring back the art of music videos, I hope we’ll bring back the art of intentional album closers that leave me reeling the same way their music videos do.

Okay, yes, I took a break again. But the music world waits for no one, so I knew I had to hop on this topic as soon as I could. Despite not being around on my newsletter and social media, I’ve still been writing my little heart out. Check out my article with Junior High on the coming-of-age trope as a second-gen immigrant, and I’ve been writing regularly for my dear internet friend Mia in her Coffee Corner. I also have some work coming soon for Fashion On The Beat, so make sure you tune in there as well.

Some reminders and announcements: Today, I have an event at the wonderful aforementioned Junior High, and if you’re reading this from the LA area, I hope I’ll see you there. If you enjoy my work, I hope you’ll consider sharing or commenting on this post, tipping through this link, buying my book, or subscribing if you haven’t already. Next week, you can expect a personal essay from me to you, so keep an eye on your inbox.

I’ll be seeing you around in April, much more often.

Love always,

✮ Paula ✮