Following traditional power-ballad tropes mixed in with modern ideas, Ariana Grande and Kid Cudi team up to provide a long-awaited return to form for the former in one of the most inspiring tracks of 2021.

Ariana Grande, back when she debuted her music career, was known for not only her Mariah Carey-esque talents, but also her tear-jerking ballads. In recent albums, Ariana shied away from the sounds that made her so popular in the first place, naturally of course as artists should. With this recent release, right from the get-go, listeners will know exactly what they’re going into, albeit with a twist. Melodiously, this is one of her greatest works in recent years. The melody follows a very particular tug-and-pull into listeners’ emotions with the major sevenths-to-root in the choruses that tug at your heartstrings. The progression is also quite nostalgic, exiting the bridge into the chorus with a suspended chord that sounds taken straight off from a Disney soundtrack, played with gentle piano chords. Ariana’s riffing through these passages are impressive without being overwhelming, which is just perfect to show both her emotion in her tone and her impressive technical range. Once the chorus kicks in, the trap drums really throw a modern twist into the pot, and that element is especially highlighted with Kid Cudi’s verse, filled with autotune. The song, before introducing its last chorus, and to really cement its nostalgic power-ballad feel, kicks up half a step in key and closes the song in an epic finale.

‘Just Look Up’ is cheesy, and wonderfully so. It’s a power-ballad done anew, all the while being so familiar. Ariana’s performance outshines even the performance, but the complete production is one of her greatest works, especially as this was released during the holidays, when nostalgia is especially strong in the air. It’s a wonderful addition to both of the musicians’ catalogs, and almost begs for Ariana to revisit this side of her career in future projects. One can always hope, but this song exists for all those who do.

Watch the video below:

Author: Nicholas Gaudet

Music producer and writer from Dieppe, Canada.