Honestly, if you look at a photo of Ariana Grande from 2019 and put it next to her in 2026, it feels like looking at two different people. It's wild. We aren't just talking about a new haircut or a different lipstick shade. The Ariana Grande before and after Wicked transformation is one of the most drastic "disappearing acts" into a role Hollywood has seen in decades.
She didn't just play Glinda. She basically let Glinda consume her.
People have been spiraling on TikTok and Reddit for months about her "new" face, her "new" voice, and even the way she walks. Some of it is standard celebrity gossip, sure. But some of it is actually a fascinating look at what happens when a global pop titan decides she’d rather be a musical theater actress.
The Vocal Shift: Why She Sounds Different Now
The most jarring thing for most fans wasn't the blonde hair. It was the voice.
If you grew up on My Everything or Dangerous Woman, you know the "Ariana sound." It’s breathy. It’s heavy on the R&B influence. It’s full of those signature mumble-pop enunciations that made us all look up the lyrics to "The Light Is Coming" just to understand what was happening.
Then came Wicked.
To play Glinda the Good, Ariana spent months retraining her vocal cords with Eric Vetro, the vocal coach to basically every A-lister in existence. She had to move her placement. In pop, she sang from a "forward" place, often utilizing a heavy chest-mix or a light, airy head voice. But Glinda is a coloratura soprano. That requires a rounder, more operatic resonance.
Permanent Changes?
She recently told Variety that some of these changes "might stay." It's not just an affectation for the press tour. After years of singing in a specific way, she essentially rebuilt her vocal architecture. Her speaking voice is now noticeably higher and more precise.
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"I think that might stay," she said regarding the higher register. "I’m really grateful for the pieces that will stay with us forever."
For the die-hard fans, this is polarizing. Some miss the "ponytail era" grit. Others think she’s finally showing the world the full extent of her range—the kind of technical skill you don't usually see on the Billboard Hot 100.
The Physical Transformation: Beyond the Blonde
We have to talk about the elephant in the room. The physical change in Ariana Grande before and after Wicked has caused a lot of genuine concern.
She looks different.
Back in 2023, Ariana actually took to TikTok to address comments about her body, reminding everyone that the body they were comparing her "current" self to was actually her at her unhealthiest—when she was on anti-depressants, drinking, and eating poorly. She basically told the world: "You think I looked healthy then, but I wasn't. I'm healthier now."
The "Method" Styling
Despite her reassurances, the "Glinda-fication" of her look is undeniable.
- The Brows: She traded her dark, arched brows for bleached-blonde, "lifted" brows that change her entire eye shape.
- The Tan: The deep spray tans of the Thank U, Next era are gone, replaced by a much paler, ethereal complexion.
- The Style: "Method dressing" is the new Hollywood trend, and Ariana took it to the extreme. For nearly three years, she has almost exclusively worn pink, floral, or "sweet" silhouettes.
It’s a far cry from the oversized hoodies and thigh-high boots that defined her for a decade. Honestly, it feels like she’s trying to shed the "Ariana Grande" brand entirely to be taken seriously as an actress.
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Relationship Drama on the Yellow Brick Road
You can't talk about this era without mentioning Ethan Slater.
The timeline is... messy. Depending on who you ask, it’s either a beautiful "meeting of souls" on set or a chaotic PR nightmare. Ariana split from her husband, Dalton Gomez, in early 2023. Shortly after, news broke that she was dating her Wicked co-star, Ethan Slater, who plays Boq.
The internet went into a full meltdown.
Slater was also going through a separation from his wife at the time. While "sources" close to the couple insist everything was handled respectfully and after they were both single, the public perception was tough to manage. It added a layer of "villainy" to her real-life persona that stood in stark contrast to the "Good Witch" she was playing on screen.
How It Impacted the Music: Eternal Sunshine
Most people thought Ariana was done with music while filming. Then Eternal Sunshine dropped in 2024.
The album is a weird, beautiful hybrid. It’s got the Max Martin pop polish, but you can hear the Wicked influence everywhere. The vocals are cleaner. The "mumbling" is mostly gone. The lyrics are deeply personal, touching on her divorce and the media firestorm surrounding her new relationship.
It’s arguably her most technically proficient album. She’s using her voice like an instrument now, not just a hit-maker. The high notes are fuller, the vibrato is more controlled, and the "theatricality" is dialed up to eleven.
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The Reality of the "Wicked" Era
So, what’s the takeaway?
The Ariana Grande before and after Wicked saga isn't just about a movie. It's about a woman who spent her entire 20s being one of the most famous people on the planet and decided she wanted to be someone else for a while.
She didn't just change her hair. She changed her muscles, her diet, her social circle, and her resonance.
What You Can Learn from This
If you're watching this transformation and wondering what it means for your own "eras," here are a few thoughts:
- Skills require sacrifice: If you want to master a new craft (like opera), you might have to unlearn what made you successful in the first place.
- Public perception is lagging: People will always prefer the "old you" because that's the version they fell in love with. Growth is often uncomfortable for the audience.
- Physical changes aren't always what they seem: Ariana’s journey reminds us that "looking healthy" and "being healthy" are two very different things in the eyes of the public.
If you want to understand the technical side of her shift, go back and listen to "No One Mourns the Wicked" and then play "7 Rings" immediately after. The difference in the laryngeal position is insane. She’s literally changed the shape of her throat to accommodate this role.
Whether you love the new Glinda-fied Ariana or miss the R&B pop princess, you have to respect the hustle. She didn't just show up to work. She let the work change her.
Practical Next Step: To see the shift for yourself, watch the Wicked behind-the-scenes vocal rehearsals on YouTube and compare them to her 2019 Sweetener tour vocals—the difference in her breath support and "vocal mask" placement is a masterclass in technical retraining.