As the opening track of Ariana Grande’s tumultuous album Thank U, Next, “imagine” sets the tone with mesmerizing minimalism. Listen here. This official music video of imagine features mosaiced icebergs melting to fall. The song gives an impression of a breathtakingly beautiful abstract painting, when one looks more carefully, there is so much pain tangled within.
Imagine is an absolute masterpiece that particularly, adds depth to the album’s artistry. It employs a steady triple meter and firm beats to elegantly propel the flow forward. The pre-chorus builds momentum with a gentle crescendo and chord progression. In the chorus, following the lyric “imagine a world like that,” which Ariana sings with extreme fortissimo and strength, the song falls into silence as if the question remains unanswered. It embodies “a simple, beautiful love that is now (and forever) unattainable,” serving as an unresolved plea for a fragmented, unrealistic dream.
The gentle familiarity of Grande’s musical references makes for effortlessly digestible, of-the-moment pop songs, but they’re elevated by a palpable despair that sits just below the surface.