Watch: Ariana Grande – “Dangerous Woman” (Visual 1)

Ariana Grande continues her efforts to shed her adolescent Nickelodeon star image with “Dangerous Woman”, the first single from the upcoming album of the same name. In the clip for the first visual / music video, Ariana is seen writhing on a bed, singing seductively and — for the first time — looks more like a woman than a girl.

Yet something about “Dangerous Woman”, as a lead single, feels underwhelming thematically. It goes without saying that Grande is a talented singer; she has one of the best voices in the industry today. My gripe with “Dangerous Woman” is its lyrical content. The title “Dangerous Woman” evokes strong imagery, and it feels a bit disappointing when the song shows Ariana relying on a man to feel dangerous. While love songs like this are just fine, it feels a bit regressive to begin a campaign that is all about being a dangerous woman with the mindset that it takes a man to obtain those feelings.

Watch the first visual for “Dangerous Woman” below, and buy the song here.