imagine (stylized in all lowercase) is a song by singer Ariana Grande that was released on December 14, 2018, through Republic Records. It serves as the first promotional single for her upcoming fifth studio album titled thank u, next. The lyric video for the song was released on the same day.
The song is lyrically about Grande’s denial of failed relationships. imagine is a R&B song with a trap-inspired beat and a pop ballad all in one. It also features multiple whistles notes from the singer that will leave you speechless.
It is rumored that the inspiration for imagine was inspired by Grande’s ex-boyfriend Mac Miller, who died of a drug overdose in September of 2018.
She begins to makes two references to Mac Miller's 2016 song “Cinderella” from his album The Divine Feminine. Here are the lyrics to Cinderella:
"And when you hungry, I can chef you up some stir fry"
Now, compare that to Ariana's interpolation of the song on imagine:
"Staying up all night, order me pad thai/ Then we gon' sleep 'til noon"
Here is the second reference in which Grande sings, "Knew you were perfect after the first kiss/ Took a deep breath like "Ooh"/ Feels like forever, baby, I never thought that it would be you"
This is also very similar to when Miller rapped about not being Ariana's type on Cinderella with the lyrics:
"You used to tell me all the time I ain't your type/Now you always wanna spend the night"
Coincidence, anyone?
On the chorus, Ariana sings about an unattainable love that is now unreachable with the lyrics, "Imagine a world like that/ Imagine a world like that/ We go like up 'til I'm 'sleep on your chest/ Love how my face fits so good on your neck/ Why can't you imagine a world like that? Imagine a world"
My take on imagine is that I love how this song is opposite from her previous single "thank u, next", which was all about self-empowerment. The maturity of Grande's voice on this track makes you want to love the singer even more.
I would give this single 10/10 because of the dark theme and the lyrics of it that really speaks to you.
Buy/stream "imagine" on Amazon Music, Spotify, Apple Music, SoundCloud and Google Play:
I Used To Know Her: Part 2 is the fifth extended play by R&B singer H.E.R released on November 2, 2018. It serves as a follow-up to her previous EP I Used To Know Her: The Prelude. This is also H.E.R's final EP project as she prepares to release her upcoming debut studio album.
Carried Away
Carried Away is the opening track for the EP. It's a guitar driven song as H.E.R. talks about being sad and lonely while also wanting to be taken and doesn't want it to be for nothing. She sings on the first verse,
"Stare at the window
All by myself Jaded and waiting for some kinda miracle, yeah Love doesn't live here And I've gotta love tears Sorry if I can't imagine that you care, oh,"
and goes on to the chorus with,
"Please I never saw it coming You wanna take me away So please Don't let it be for nothing before we get carried away, yeah"
Can't Help Me
Can't Help Me is about the singer's personal struggles that she's dealing with in her head and her lover tries to help her, but she say that she can't be helped. The song begins with,
"Sorry that I've been livin' in my head
Holdin' onto words I ain't said yet I'm bitter, sorry, I just can't see You with someone that isn't me You should know I've been tryna find my peace I know it's difficult being with me But I just wanna love you this way And you just make it so hard for me,"
and on the chorus with the lyrics,
"But you can't help me
You can't help me"
I'm Not OK
I'm Not OK finds the singer worrying about where her lover is as she sings,
"Sick to my stomach
Four in the morning, I can't sleep In and out the city I'm worried 'bout where you may be Feels like I've been here Stressing the things that I can see Where do you go? What do you do? Without me, without me",
and says on the chorus,
"I'm not okay, I'm not okay I'm not okay, no I'm not okay I'm not okay, no I'm not okay I'm not okay Losing my faith, I'm losing my faith Slipping away, you're slipping away I'm not okay, no I'm not okay I'm not okay"
Take You There
Take You There is the fourth track where H.E.R. is thinking about going on an adventure with her partner and wants to take him here with the lyrics on the chorus suggesting,
"Can I tell you something for what it's worth?
With you Heaven is a place on Earth And I will take you there, I'll take you Show you something give you more than words With you Heaven is a place on Earth And I will take you there, I'll take you there Take you there"
Going (Interlude)
Going is the fifth track and the first interlude on the EP. She begins singing about wanting to reconnect with her long lost love. It starts off with,
"Yeah, wish I could be where you are
I know the distance is far I've been running, running through your mind Promise that I'm on a flight, going to you right now I don't have much time, with you tonight I've been going, I've been going, I've been focused Just be with me in the moment Trust me I know how you feel right now Baby that's just what it is right now Just stay with me, right behind you And I'm trying to, make the time to Baby that's all I can give right now Maybe that's just what it is right now, yeah, yeah"
Hard Place
On Hard Place, the singer is stuck between being in an unhealthy relationship and her own well-being, knowing that love will only win. She begins with,
"Wanna believe what you say
But I hate you on most days You've been testing my faith and my patience, yeah And you know that I be head strong But you know that you be dead wrong Telling me to relax when I'm reacting",
and the continues with,
"What if nothing ever will change? Oh I'm caught between your love and a hard place Oh I wish there was a right way I'm caught between your love and a hard place, oh Woah, oh oh woah, oh oh woah, oh oh woah I'm caught between your love and a hard place Oh I wish there was a right way I'm caught between your love and a hard place, oh"
Fate
On this song, H.E.R. is trying to express her doubt about the relationship that she's in. Then she begins to question her fate in that person singing,
"I'm lost, is it really even my fault?
I don't think that it's supposed to be hard, if it's really meant to be So give me a sign Is he always gonna be mine? Have I given it enough of my time? You cannot blame if it don't mean nothing",
and goes on to the chorus with,
"Sweet, sweet fate
I had about all I can take Am I living in the path that I make Is it yours? I wonder Sweet, sweet fate (Sweet, sweet fate) Oh if it's really out of my hands (If it's really out of my hands) Can you forgive all of my sins? (Can you forgive all of my sins?)
Have mercy on me, me
Lord Is Coming
Lord Is Coming is the final track on I Used To Know Her: Part 2. The song begins with a spoken word by the singer talking about the society that we live in before she sings on the first verse with, "We're like Daniel in the den/ Surrounded by these hungry lions/ Looking in the jaws of death/ We reach for saving hands/ No help will come from then/ The Lord is coming".
So, you guys already know that I am a huge fan of H.E.R.'s music. When I found out that she was releasing another EP, my mind was completely blown. I love all of the songs on the EP like Carried Away, Can't Help Me, I'm Not OK and The Lord Is Coming. I also like H.E.R.'s use of the interlude on both of her EPs. You would normally expect an interlude to be on a studio album, but definitely not on an extended play and I thought that she did a very good job at that.
I give the EP a 10/10. You really need H.E.R. in your life because she is bringing R&B music back to its roots.
Make sure that you purchase "I Used To Know Her: Part 2" on Google Play, Spotify, Amazon, Apple Music and more:
