The golden age of pop is over.

Mariah Carey and Christina Aguilera are senior citizens of the music industry. Britney Spears is 31 years old, and Beyonce is a (sexy) mom. Although extremely talented, they’re all old news. Unfortunately, talent isn’t enough be famous in the social media age.

Miley Cyrus is the female pop diva of the hour, gaining much of her notoriety through social media, despite a noticeable lack of talent. Her new music video for “Wrecking Ball” has been viewed nearly 100 million times in the past six days.
Maybe I’ll make it big if I ride around naked on a wrecking ball.

For nostalgic ‘90s kids, it’s sad to see the candy-coated divas of our youth wither away, especially when they’re replaced by girls like Ke$ha. Carey, Aguilera and the like possess incredible talent, but they can’t match the shock value of today’s pop divas.
But here comes Ariana Grande, out to save the music world.

Grande’s debut album “Yours Truly” opened atop the charts last week, the first No. 1 debut for a female solo artist since Ke$ha’s “Animal” in 2010. “Yours Truly” makes it very clear that Grande is a superstar talent. She’s a nostalgic ‘90s kid as well — her album is a perfect blend of ‘90s hooks and rhythmic, new-school flair. But what sets Grande apart from Miley and Ke$ha is her incredible voice.

Grande showcases her diverse vocal talents throughout the album. She is agile and powerful in “Right There” (a certifiably sexy track) with a top-notch use of Carey-esque whistle tones. She slows it down, too — her smoky ballad “Almost is Never Enough” is the most dynamic track on the album.

Grande isn’t breaking any new ground in “Yours Truly,” but that’s not her intention. She’s out to remind the music industry that true talent isn’t based around twitter followers or award show twerking or nakedness — it’s based around unrivaled, undeniable talent.

dlmeyer@mavs.coloradomesa.edu