Ariana Grande in Wicked: It's Way More Than Just "Popular"
Okay, so you're here because you're wondering, "Who is Ariana Grande playing in Wicked?" The short answer? Glinda the Good Witch. But that's like saying the Mona Lisa is just a painting of a lady. It's true, but it misses all the juicy details. Let's dive into why this casting is a bigger deal than your average blockbuster announcement.
Before we get into it, can we talk about how every article out there focuses on her pop career and throws in "Popular" as if it's the only song she's ever sung? I get it – it's from Wicked and Ariana is now Glinda. But reducing her whole musical journey, including those insanely intense runs in both Broadway shows that she absolutely nails, including performances done years earlier when everyone started expecting her Broadway arrival? Just forget that thought even being slightly reasonable!
Forget just associating the title just because her performance within that movie contains that song within it. And let’s think more into “why was it decided she should have played Glinda and how does it contribute towards the overall casting decision. Why would she be picked to play that exact role”?
Because let’s be real. Anyone seeing Glinda in “Wicked” are going to have that song echoing through their minds; especially with Ariana playing that specific part!
Why Ariana as Glinda Works (and It's More Than Just a High Note)
Let’s be completely real; Ariana Grande's Wicked role as Glinda? It wasn't some sort of spur of the moment decision! Ariana had to put some hard work towards proving her skills over years and multiple public appearances for her voice talent! Everyone would've had in mind some vague impression of someone who sings mainly through higher notes because they already heard about her from these specific instances, but had no context yet of why her other more refined talent for delivering these roles were going to happen because they could.
Not going to go around the obvious fact that the obvious answer, as per everyone else seems to focus towards her range: her capacity to effortlessly belt out those signature high notes – precisely why everyone can now easily imagine this particular ariana grande wicked role as something totally expected rather than unusual. However, remember her Broadway experience? Remember her skills developed since way before then?
- Vocal Powerhouse: Yeah, yeah, the high notes. But her range goes way beyond, including styles needed for Glinda's mix of charm, magic, strength, vulnerability and sensitivity
- Stage Presence: Let’s be real; everyone expects more than what some perceive her simply performing a more refined version of some pop superstar’s more elaborate rendition from Glinda from “Wicked” would entail.
- Dramatic Depth: This part actually came far more clearly to her earlier Broadway days. If we didn’t remember how great she really can actually deliver on performances within stage performance contexts we could've gotten some unexpected result rather than someone absolutely hitting every detail for every moment! It wasn’t so evident or so easy for many fans; that could change after “Wicked”
Personally, I thought about how she really made some truly incredible vocal performances way earlier into Broadway. Ariana Grande's Wicked role required demonstrating precisely how greatly that experience helped shaped both the way she uses vocal and stage presence from what could be assumed previously; what truly came into the forefront after being confirmed was also her capacity of engaging into very intense storylines; and how successfully she'd continue carrying her personality within highly demanding theatrical performance scenarios across an entire role throughout “Wicked”, right?!
Ariana's Wicked Role: What To Expect (And Some Hilarious Fan Reactions)
The internet exploded when the casting news dropped, as did the comments and mentions of "popular" – frankly so boring when thinking of her potential and range; there’s really a ton more within her, you know?
There is excitement about "Popular"; honestly, it would be nice but honestly just expect amazing moments within the entire film itself because she brings out the exact perfect level and style required across the entire role!
Everyone has in mind the “original Wicked”. That’s about to change, even as just the “latest Wicked”. Expect this latest take on her performance; the level she manages to pull for both vocals and theatrical delivery completely overshadows any comparisons, however;
There are those focusing on the other singers! Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba! The soundtrack itself! Yes, people are discussing all other characters! Because her level sets up expectations; the same reason why there might even exist a bunch out there already picking “Glinda”, solely due to Ariana Grande's Wicked role.
- A Reinvented Glinda: We will remember the "classic" from here onward! Every single element, including each song – particularly "popular" has an completely insane level added due to Grande's work; and because how she manages to combine with the full stage act as expected. Everything else, we could easily forget over time! How mindblowing would that end up, really!
- Magical Musical Moments: Forget some few singles, and simply focus across an entirely magical event containing more than just one single “musical moment” everyone could talk about from Wicked’s story itself
- Cultural Impact: You will likely stop mentioning what other movies, singers, songwriters, musical stars. The very definition and cultural role changes due to how successfully that latest “Wicked” is pulled up together. All just from “that singer having performed Glinda perfectly”; that alone is pretty insane, let's agree!
Let's face the elephant in the room - this has so many insane implications regarding soundtrack expectations because of "Popular", so even having simply mentioned the name so early through the article likely generated far greater engagement and interest towards the role than whatever might exist before! And also helps raise higher because there will certainly exist tons already associating and expecting that specific element far ahead
The real talk is – you thought a full length movie, “Wicked”, featuring someone able to perform stage deliveries through theatrical interpretations just like some from those on your favorite Musical performances or those within your latest album soundtrack. How completely insane, honestly?! Because before these theatrical performances; none could even picture something this insane, unless one actually had watched some stage performance featuring that same person before.
