Honestly, if you look at a photo of Ariana Grande from the 2020 Grammys and compare it to her at the 2026 Golden Globes, it’s hard to believe it’s the same human. We aren't just talking about a new hair color or a different stylist. It is a fundamental shift in how she carries herself, how she speaks, and even the way she uses her vocal cords. The transition of Ariana Grande before Wicked and after has become one of the most dissected case studies in modern celebrity "eras," but most of the chatter misses the actual point.
It wasn't just a movie role. It was a total professional and personal overhaul.
The "Positions" Era: Ariana Before the Bubble
Before the pink gowns and the operatic soprano took over, Ariana was in a very specific place. Her 2020 album Positions was the peak of her "R&B Pop" persona. She was the queen of the ponytail, the master of the "whisper-pop" vocal, and she was heavily leaning into a trap-influenced sound. Back then, her public image was built on being a "girl's girl" who made hits about her bedroom life and her "7 rings."
She was incredibly successful, but she was also tired.
In recent interviews, like her 2025 sit-down on the nss G-Club podcast, she admitted that she basically misses entire years of her memory from this period. She was "inside the machine." The stress of the Manchester tragedy in 2017, the loss of Mac Miller, and the constant pressure to be a perfect pop idol had left her on a cocktail of antidepressants and, by her own admission, a lot of alcohol. She has since called that version of herself the "unhealthiest" she’s ever been, even if people thought she looked "fine" at the time.
Then came the audition.
The Glinda Transformation: Not Just a Costume
When Jon M. Chu cast her as Glinda the Good in the Wicked duology, the internet was skeptical. Could the "Thank U, Next" singer actually handle the coloratura soprano requirements of a role made famous by Kristin Chenoweth? Ariana knew she had to prove herself.
She spent months retraining her voice. This wasn't a "weekend with a coach" situation. She worked with Eric Vetro to move her vocal placement from her chest and throat—the "belty" pop sound—to a higher, warmer, classical space.
Why her voice sounds different now
You've probably noticed it. During the Wicked press tour throughout 2024 and 2025, her speaking voice sat noticeably higher. People on TikTok mocked it, calling it "method acting" or an "affectation."
But there is a technical reason for it.
- Vocal Health: To sing those high operatic notes every day on set, she had to keep her vocal placement high even when speaking to avoid straining the muscles.
- Habit: She spent nearly two years speaking and singing like Glinda. That’s a long time for your brain to rewire your speech patterns.
- Muscle Memory: As she told Variety in 2025, "Certain things maybe won't melt away."
Basically, Glinda rewrote her physical biology.
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Eternal Sunshine: The Bridge Between Two Worlds
In the middle of filming, the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike hit. Most actors went on vacation. Ariana went to the studio with Max Martin.
The result was Eternal Sunshine, an album that feels like the exact midpoint of Ariana Grande before Wicked and after. You can hear the "new" voice on tracks like "We Can't Be Friends." The production is still pop, but the vocal delivery is clearer, more mature, and less reliant on the "mumble" style of her earlier work.
The album also documented the massive personal fallout of her Wicked era: her divorce from Dalton Gomez and the start of her relationship with co-star Ethan Slater. This was arguably the messiest moment of her career. The public backlash was intense, with Ethan’s ex-wife, Lilly Jay, famously telling Page Six that Ariana was "not a girl's girl."
Ariana's response? She leaned harder into the work. She stayed in the "Glinda bubble," using the character's journey of being "misunderstood" as a shield.
The "After" Era: 2026 and Beyond
Now that Wicked: For Good (Part 2) has been out for a while, we are seeing the "Post-Wicked" Ariana. It’s a "reset" that has surprised a lot of people.
At the 2026 Golden Globes, the "Goth Glinda" look went viral. She ditched the pale pinks and the blonde hair, returning to a dark brunette ponytail and a sharper, more structured aesthetic. Fans joked that she finally "reclaimed her life force" after the grueling press cycle.
But it’s more than just a look. She’s announced a massive hiatus from music, saying her 2026 tour might be her last for a "very, very long time." She’s focused on her brand, r.e.m. beauty, and has hinted at more acting roles that have nothing to do with musical theater.
Key differences: Before vs. After
- Vocal Range: Before, she stayed in the R&B/Pop pocket. Now, she has a fully developed operatic upper register that she uses even in her pop tracks.
- Public Boundaries: Before, she shared almost everything on social media. After the Ethan Slater controversy, she has become significantly more guarded, often speaking through conceptual art or tightly controlled interviews.
- Aesthetic: The "Before" Ariana was about trends—oversized hoodies and over-the-knee boots. The "After" Ariana is about "Method Dressing" and high-fashion silhouettes that feel more "Old Hollywood."
What this means for her fans
If you're waiting for the 2018 version of Ariana to come back, honestly, she’s gone. The "After" version is someone who has integrated the discipline of Broadway into the chaos of being a global pop star.
She's admitted she used to feel like she was "playing a role" as a pop star. The irony is that playing a literal character like Glinda actually helped her find her real self. She isn't just a singer anymore; she’s a theater-trained actress who happens to have a billion streams.
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To really see the change for yourself, go back and listen to "7 rings" and then immediately play "The Girl in the Bubble" from the Wicked soundtrack. The difference in the depth of the tone—the way she rounds her vowels and controls her breath—is the "After" in action.
Moving forward, expect her to be much more selective. She’s no longer chasing the "hit of the summer." She’s chasing the "role of a lifetime." If you want to follow her new path, keep an eye on her upcoming "multitudes" project she hinted at in early 2026—it's likely to be her most experimental work yet, far removed from the pink bubbles of Oz.