With Grande writing so much of the album, her strange but delightful sense of humour comes through much more prominently than in her past work. Part of that also comes from working with, who produces the vast majority of the tracks and enjoys a kooky musical turn as well as an unexpected turn of phrase. The two perform together on “blazed,” where they sandwich the divine search for a soulmate between a lyric about getting high (“Don't think that it cannot happen, 'cause it can / Shawty, you can get blazed / Sleep if you want, and wake up in love again"). He compliments Grande’s unpredictable creative impulses, and “successful,” with its Us3 “Cataloop” sounding groove, is a particular standout in a sea of off-kilter songs, as are “R.E.M.” and the album’s title track. Together, Pharrell and Grande make a pop sound unlike anything else happening right now. It’s a mixture of signature N.E.R.D. beats filtered through the negative space so popular in SoundCloud rap , with Grande’s distinct, feminine signature embossed on top. It’s a giant step away from the standard Max Martin template , and nothing like the Jack Antonoff production scheme that has come to define the sound of women in pop.