Ariana Grande Shares 'Scary' Plan to Focus on Musical Theater Over Pop Music After Making "Wicked"

11/06/2024 09:53 PM

Grande is looking forward to "reconnecting with this part of myself who started in musical theater"

Ariana Grande is switchin' the positions for you!

The pop star, 31, appeared on the Wednesday, Nov. 6, episode of the Las Culturistas podcast with her Wicked costar Bowen Yang — a show he cohosts with actor Matt Rogers.  

During the conversation, Grande revealed that starring as Good Witch Glinda in the Universal film adaptation of the Tony-winning Broadway musical has made her want to shift her focus from pop music to musical theater.

"It is my heart," she said of acting in theater. 

Before the "yes, and?" singer got her big break as Cat Valentine in the Nickelodeon sitcom Victorious, she was a theater kid in 13: The Musical.

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"I'm gonna say something so scary — it's gonna scare the absolute s--- out of my fans and everyone, but I love them, and they'll deal, and we'll be here forever," Grande continued during Wednesday's podcast episode. "I'm always going to make music, I'm always going to go on stage, I'm always going to do pop stuff, I pinky promise. But I don't think doing it at the rate I've been doing it for the past 10 years is where I see the next 10 years."

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For Grande, Broadway would allow her to get back to her roots. 

"Reconnecting with this part of myself who started in musical theater, and who loves comedy, and it heals me to do that — finding roles to use these parts of myself and put them in little homes and characters and bits and voices and songs," she said. "Whatever makes sense, or whatever roles we see fit, or where I could really do a good job or honor the material, I would really love to. I think it's a lot better for me. I'm getting emotional."

The "Thank U, Next" singer also opened up to Yang, 34, and Rogers, also 34, about recently working with music icon Stevie Nicks when she hosted Saturday Night Live on Oct. 12.

"She had written me a letter a few years ago," Grande said of the Fleetwood Mac singer, 76. "So we had spoken once before but we had never met."

Yang, an SNL cast member himself, added, "Ari and I were already on the floor just like giggling being stupid, and then they bring Stevie on, and I just kind of immediately knew to back away."

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According to Yang, Nicks grabbed Grande's hand and told her, "I loved your video for 'We Can't Be Friends.' "

Grande recalled the moment as "surreal."

Wicked: Part One arrives in theaters Nov. 22. Wicked: Part Two is slated for Nov. 26, 2025. The film also stars Cynthia Erivo, Jeff Goldblum, Ethan Slater, Michelle Yeoh, Peter Dinklage and Jonathan Bailey, among others.