NME Reviews Ariana Grande's 'Petal': A Conflicted Pop Statement Under the Spotlight

Ariana Grande's eighth studio album, Petal, arrived in early August 2026, just two years after 2024's Eternal Sunshine. In between, Grande wrapped promotional touring for the film Wicked and completed her first world tour in seven years — all while facing renewed media and social scrutiny. According to NME's review, Grande has described Petal as "a bit unhinged," the kind of "unfiltered rage we all feel sometimes."

Production and Sound

Petal was written and produced entirely by Grande and longtime collaborator Ilya, with Max Martin contributing to two singles plus the track "Stay." NME notes that the album's sonic palette is more pared-down than anything Grande has released before.

The record opens with the synth-pop track "Kiss Me," centered on finding hope amid noise. The more experimental "Oh Well" blends Imogen Heap-style vocal textures with PinkPantheress-inflected two-step rhythms, while "Freak" and "Warning Signs (Interlude)" form a two-part suite moving from poetic verse into an explosive synth-driven release.

Lead single "Hate That I Made You Love Me" is described by NME as carrying a resigned weariness even in its instrumentation, while the title track "Petal" is singled out as one of the sharpest songs of Grande's career, shifting from a dramatic waltz into a trembling hip-hop beat.

NME's Take: Contradiction and Distance

The review argues that much of Petal sits in a state of discomfort — the blurry sensation of being misunderstood by a best friend, a lover, or millions of strangers at once. Lighter tracks like "Big Feelings," "Like I Do," and "Never Get Over Me" still carry a bit of bite. Late-album track "Bad Things (Bunny Hop)" and its toxic-love narrative are said not to fully justify its Blinding Lights-scale arrangement, while closing ballad "Nowhere, Nobody" is noted for wrapping up the album's more conflicted mood a little too neatly.

NME concludes that where Grande has previously turned heartbreak into collective joy, Petal turns inward instead, asking listeners to understand her position rather than share in it — landing as a record defined by restraint and distance.

What's Not Covered

The source review does not mention tour dates, chart performance, or additional press commentary from Grande beyond the quotes cited. Full track-by-track details beyond the songs named above are not specified.

Read the full review at NME.