Ariana Grande

It’s difficult to tell the story of Ariana Grande’s recent triumphs—a Grammy, multiple platinum albums, two Billboard awards coupled with the magazine naming Grande as Woman of the Year in 2018—without referencing the fact that she has also endured more public trauma than any pop star in recent memory. Alongside her commercial success, the past two years have included a bombing at her Manchester show that left twenty-three dead and, a year later, the death of Grande’s ex-boyfriend, Mac Miller. 2018’s Sweetener and thank u, next addressed the tragedies head-on, alchemizing pain into honeyed self-truths that have glossy pop packaging but a mature resonance. The lyrics bring everything to the surface in a genuine-feeling way, and in several performances this year, Grande has been moved to tears. Emotional honesty doesn’t preclude her ability to have fun, though, or tap into the zeitgeist: her latest release is a remix of Lizzo’s  unstoppable “Good as Hell.” —Sarah Edwards