I Knew Ariana Was Good, But I Didn't Know She Was *That* Good! 👑

This performance is gonna be pop-uUu-lar.

In Jon M. Chu's highly anticipated film adaptation of Wicked, Ariana Grande accomplishes something remarkable: she makes us forget she's Ariana Grande.

Grande’s (credited in the film as Ariana Grande-Butera), turn as Galinda—later Glinda catapulted Wicked, a musical deeply beloved and obsessively referenced by Broadway aficionados, into a new dimension.

I say this as someone who belongs to the fanatical theater nerd community. I’ve spent the last two decades revering Kristin Chenoweth’s Galinda/Glinda in the original production. Since 2003, I’ve endured grainy VHS recordings and muffled televised performances, marveling at every "toss toss." So, when Ariana picked up the glittering wand in 2021, my expectations were tepid at best.

Reader, she blew my effing mind.

My Initial Doubts

Ariana Grande is no stranger to stage or screen. She has Broadway roots and, of course, a Grammy-winning pop music career. But Hollywood adaptations of musicals are a minefield. For every Barbra Streisand in Funny Girl, there’s a Renee Rapp in Mean Girls (Sorry, Renee! Please don't call me a hating ass millennial)—a stark reminder that technical skill on stage doesn’t always translate to film.

Ariana’s cultural baggage further compounded my skepticism. Her carefully curated persona—ponytail, platform heels, and moments of Blackfishing—made me question whether she could transcend her superstar persona and immerse herself in this role.

I started to second guess my assumptions during the film’s opening number, "No One Mourns the Wicked." Ariana’s voice soared with operatic precision, a far cry from the pop'n'b stylings that allowed her to top charts and pack arenas.

Yet, for the first 20 minutes of the film, I couldn't shake the sense that she was deftly mimicking Kristin Chenoweth—a valid concern imo, given Chenoweth’s mentorship of Grande.

By the time Galinda and Elphaba, played by Cynthia Erivo, launched into What Is This Feeling, my defenses had been sufficiently lowered. I let Chu’s superb direction sweep me away.

Then came "Popular."

New Merch @ ShopKNF.com

A Star is (Re)Born

"Popular," for the uninitiated, is Galinda’s defining number. It’s light, cheeky, and chock full of subtle gags and physical humor. Kristin Chenoweth immortalized it by singing in full voice, sprawled across Galinda's bed at Shiz. Yet Ariana didn’t simply match Kristin’s energy—with the help of new musical additions from Stephen Schwartz, she topped it.

I sat straight up in my reclining theater chair as she sprang into the air, knees tucked toward her chest to clutch a rotating chandelier, and transitioned into a mid-air split with one perfectly pointed toe.

My eyes bugged when she interrupted herself flitting down a pink corridor with a high kick. Impressive isn't a strong enough word.

The Los Angeles Times even published an oral history of the "Popular" scene, another testament to its excellence.

In that article, choreographer Christopher Scott compared Grande to Lucille Ball— bold but apt given Grande's comedic timing and willingness to embrace physicality in service of character.

Jon M. Chu explained to the New York Times that she swam across the floor eighteen times to get it right. That dedication doesn’t just reflect her talent and ambition but a deep reverence for the role.

I've heard Ariana say that her life is divided into two parts: pre-Wicked and post-Wicked. She's trying to give movie-goers the same experience.

All Praises to Cynthia Erivo, Too

None of the praise I'm happy to heap upon Ariana’s shoulders should be seen as a slight to Cynthia Erivo. Erivo is a Tony and Grammy award winner whose chops could never be questioned.

According to Chu, Cynthia pushed to make "Popular" more interactive, strengthening the chemistry between Galinda and Elphaba. The result? A scene that exudes both hilarity and heart, capped by the tender moment when Galinda tells her new friend, "Why Miss Elphaba, you’re beautiful!" It echoes the intimacy of the relationship between The Color Purple’s Miss Shug and Celie. (I wonder if Erivo drew on that for inspiration.)

Ariana Grande's Next Chapter

It’s impossible to discuss Ariana’s performance without examining the broader narrative arc of her career. Over the last year, Ariana has undergone what I’ll call a strategic recalibration (you might call it a whitening). Her aesthetic has shifted—gone are the over-tanned, ultra-sexualized undertones of the 2010s. She’s embraced a more "classic," less controversial, dare I say cutesy image, paving the way for a seamless integration into Wicked’s pristine universe.

Call it branding. Call it growth. Call it what you will. But Ariana’s Wicked performance is a case study of the rewards of discipline, reinvention, and rigorous preparation. At the 2 hour and 40 minute film's close, it was clear she'd done far more than cut and paste. The performance is both a homage and a revelation.

For a pop star whose every move is scrutinized, her ability to balance craft with spectacle places her firmly in the upper echelons of contemporary stardom.

So, where does this leave Ariana in the pantheon of modern pop divas? The answer, I believe, is very near the top. The same woman who gave us Thank U, Next and inspired countless memes now stands poised to garner an Oscar nod and one day transcend the "pop star" title to join the ranks of multi-hyphenate legends like Barbra Streisand and Julie Andrews.

This transformation wasn’t inevitable. Her achievement marks a watershed moment in the delicate intersection of pop stardom and cinematic legitimacy, a crossing that few have successfully navigated.

She fought for it, and she earned it. Ariana didn’t need to excel in Wicked to sustain her career. Yet, she approached this role with the dedication of an artist still seeking validation, reportedly willing to cancel tour dates to prepare for auditions.

A Final Note on Excellence

Ariana Grande's Galinda is a masterclass in duality: demure yet determined, silly but sincere. If there’s a takeaway here, it’s that excellence is no accident.

Everyone who worked on the film affirms that Ariana’s journey into Galinda’s tiara was marked by months of preparation, humility, and a willingness to embrace vulnerability. As we celebrate her triumph, let’s also celebrate the lesson our grandmas taught us: when you got it, you can’t hide it.

What a pleasure to be proven wrong.

P.S. Arianators, y'all won.

I Digress…

Ariana Grande is both methodical and self-conscious in her racial performance. Years ago, I delved into how social media, personal relationships, and career ambitions contributed to her forays into what many then described as Blackfishing.

That video struck a nerve. It wasn’t demonetized through the usual avenues—no automatic copyright claim for using Ariana’s audio or video. Instead, a claim was filed manually over my recitation of copyrighted lyrics, an unusually petty move that signaled someone close to her wasn’t pleased. (Copyright claims can only be filed by the rights holder or a representative.)

In hindsight, after spending thousands of dollars on unrelated copyright law advice, I realize I should have fought it. The claim wouldn’t have been held (shout out to the First Amendment!). But here’s the thing: Ariana Grande, like all legendary pop stars, isn’t just a star—she’s a strategist. Every move, every pivot, reflects a deeply calculated understanding of her place in the cultural zeitgeist.