Ariana Grande is officially entering a new music era.
The Grammy winner announced on April 28 that her eighth studio album, “Petal,” will be released on July 31 through Republic Records, marking her first full studio album since 2024’s “Eternal Sunshine.”
Grande shared the news on Instagram with a new photo that immediately caught fans’ attention. The singer appeared without her signature high ponytail, hinting at a fresh chapter both visually and creatively. She also revealed the official cover art for the project, a close-up black-and-white image of Grande smiling softly with part of her hair covering her face.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, “Petal” is co-written by Grande and longtime collaborator Ilya Salmanzadeh. Earlier this month, she also teased the album in a video, describing it as “something that is full of life and growing through the cracks of something cold and hard and challenging.”
The title itself reflects that theme. Per People, Grande said “Petal” represents healing, growth and finding beauty after difficult seasons, giving fans an early look into what sounds like a deeply personal project.
Fans had already started suspecting new music was on the way after Grande posted studio photos earlier this month, showing herself at a mixing board, holding a microphone and scrolling through audio files. She also included a photo of delicate flowers, which now appears to have been an early nod to the album title.
Ariana Says Touring Again May Be Her ‘One Last Hurrah’
Along with the new album, Grande is preparing to return to the stage for her “Eternal Sunshine” tour, which begins June 6 in Oakland, California.
The run marks her first tour in seven years after her last major tour ended in December 2019 following “Sweetener” and “Thank U, Next.”
She previously admitted this upcoming tour may look very different from the large arena runs fans are used to. During an appearance on Amy Poehler’s “Good Hang” podcast, Grande said the tour would be smaller and hinted it could be her “one last hurrah” for a while.
“I don’t want to say any definitive things,” she said, “but I think it might not happen again for a long, long, long, long time.”
Grande also opened up about how “Eternal Sunshine” and her role as Glinda in the “Wicked” films helped her rebuild her relationship with music and fame. In a November interview with Interview magazine, she said acting helped her take “baby steps” toward healing old trauma tied to touring and performing.
She explained that she now feels more connected to herself and wants to follow projects that feel creatively right, whether that means music, acting, comedy or musical theater.
Ariana Is Also Busy With ‘Wicked’ and ‘Focker-In-Law’
While music is clearly back in focus, Grande’s acting schedule remains packed.
She also stars in “Focker-In-Law,” the fourth film in the “Meet the Parents” franchise alongside Robert De Niro and Ben Stiller.
Grande plays Olivia Jones, the girlfriend of Greg Focker’s son Henry, played by Skyler Gisondo. In the trailer, Greg is immediately suspicious of Olivia, while De Niro’s Jack Byrnes surprisingly takes a liking to her.
Olivia is described as a confident former FBI hostage negotiator who even handles the franchise’s iconic lie detector test with ease, making Greg even more uncomfortable.
The film also brings back familiar cast members including Teri Polo, Owen Wilson and Blythe Danner, with Beanie Feldstein joining the cast as Greg’s daughter. “Focker-In-Law” is set for release on Nov. 25.
Between “Petal,” her first tour in years and multiple major film projects, Grande is balancing both worlds at once — and this summer, music is blooming first.
