Ariana Grande 'Yours Truly' Review: Grande Proves She's Here To Stay With R&B Inspired Album

Ariana Grande demands the spotlight with her R&B inspired debut album Yours Truly.

In 2010, singer/actress Ariana Grande made her debut as “Cat” on Nickelodeon's Victorious. The following year, she was signed to Universal Republic Records (now Republic Records). Just two years later, Grande is currently a star on Nickelodeon's Sam and Cat, and finally releasing her debut album, Yours Truly.

Laden with tracks produced by The Rascals and R&B heavy-weight, Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds, Yours Truly perfectly shows Grande's love of R&B music, specifically Mariah Carey. Like 20-year-old Grande, Yours Truly is young and fun-loving.

The show Victorious gave the world a listen to Grande's singing talent, but the breakout hit "The Way" featuring rapper Mac Miller was her formal introduction (and those sweet high notes she hit at the end started those Mariah Carey comparisons, too).

The opening song "Honeymoon Avenue" features a Boys II Men-style opening harmony, and only 15 seconds into the song, I believe it to be one of the best album openers of 2013, behind JAY Z's “Holy Grail” and Justin Timberlake's “Pusher Love Girl”. The stacked lyrics, "I feel like my heart is /stuck in /bumper to bumper /traffic," builds the song up in the chorus, and combined with a smooth R&B melody, it is one of the best tracks on the album. Grande’s voice may be soft, but she's able to do so much with it. She's become known for her impeccable whistle register, but this song showcases her true vocal range.

"Baby I", the latest single off of Yours Truly, offers another bigger-than-life start, opening like a movie, and sets the tone for this uptempo hit. This song is only a few "baby"s away from being an early 2000s Ashanti hit, but that's part of what makes this album what it is: a love letter to R&B. The same goes for the Big Sean featured tune, "Right There", which samples Lil Kim's "Crush on You."

Grande slows the album down with the ballad “Tattooed Heart”, co-produced and co-written by Babyface. This is one of the best songs on the album. Besides the obviously meaningful lyrics, “Tattooed Heart” also shows off the pure vocal strength that carries her through the song. And though “Daydreamin'” was another, less successful, attempt at a show-stopping ballad, the album could have used more songs in the vein of “Tattooed Heart”.

"Lovin' It" and "You'll Never Know" picked the tempo up again, with a beat and style reminiscent of 90's up-tempo R&B. The songs may be slightly old school, but Grande makes the sound relevant. “Piano,” another up-tempo song, stands out as a good club song, but “Better Left Unsaid,” Grande’s missed attempt at a dance hit, fails to leave an impression

Yours Truly also features a few duets, such as the powerful "Almost Is Never Enough" with Nathan Skyes of The Wanted and “Popular Song” with MIKA. “Popular Song,” based on “Popular” from the musical Wicked, was also featured on MIKA’s album The Origin of Love.

Overall, Grande proves that she isn't just some Nickelodeon pop voice, and when you find yourself singing along to every word, you realize that she has the potential to be a major R&B artist.