15 best Ariana Grande songs

8. “Positions”

Part of what makes Grande such a compelling vocalist is the elasticity of her voice — the way she slides and maneuvers around harmonies so effortlessly — but another component of that is how slyly she can deliver these lyrics. “Positions” is obviously a song about sex disguised as one about more general romantic and personal flexibility, but like, only the most naive person alive is being fooled by surface appearances here. Anyway, listen to the way her voice just effortlessly floats around every syllable, and the way it blends with the music so perfectly — those plucked strings and synths creating the perfect accompaniment. It is an unbelievably sweet and delectable confection that makes it clear that after over a half decade of chart success, she is not even close to losing her proverbial fastball.

7. “POV”

The closing track on her latest record finds Grande overcome and almost mystified by the love a partner feels for her, wanting to find a way to find it for herself. This song is both so sad and so hopeful, knowing that love for one’s self is a worthy and potentially attainable goal while also knowing that developing and actualizing it is one of the most difficult battles one can wage. But for the moment, in the interim before that happens, there is still the joy in knowing how deeply one is loved by another. It may not be a cure, but it can be a worthy substitute at times and the greatness of this song is achieved by balancing those two opposing feelings so well, capturing them both simultaneously.