Before Ariana Grande was one of the most famous pop stars on the planet, she was a theatre kid from Florida. As a kid, Grande participated in children’s theatre groups in her hometown, and has spoken before about how being in musicals helped her nurture her love of performing. Wicked, which was first performed on Broadway 15 years ago, is a landmark musical, especially for those who grew up as young fans of the show.
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Grande performed a classic song from the musical for NBC’s A Very Wicked Halloween special last night. “The Wizard And I” is a song where Elphaba, the “evil” witch, wishes she could change the narrative people see when they look at her, that they could focus on anything other than her green skin. Grande, in sparkly green lipstick and matching nails, hits every note. It’s clear how much the song means to her, as someone who was ten years old when this musical came out, and someone who also is subjected to unfair generalizations by tabloids and gossips. “The Wizard And I” is Grande’s first performance since her breakup with Pete Davidson, and it’s clear that she wants the focus on her talent, not her love life. Grande is gearing up to tour her album Sweetener soon, and if this performance is any indication, her voice is better than it’s ever been, and absolutely incredible live.
Watch Grande’s performance of “The Wizard And I” above.
