You know that feeling when a pop star finally clicks? Not just because they hit a high note, but because they actually get the joke? That’s exactly what happened when Ariana Grande stepped into the habit for her SNL Sound of Music sketch. It wasn't just a costume. It was a career pivot.
Honestly, people still talk about this one for a reason. Most "pop star hosts" play it safe or lean on the teleprompter like a crutch. Ariana didn’t do that. She went full theater kid.
The Sketch That Changed Everything
Back in 2016—specifically Season 41, Episode 15—Ariana Grande pulled double duty as host and musical guest. While her Celine Dion and Jennifer Lawrence impressions in "Celebrity Family Feud" usually get the most YouTube views, the Sound of Music parody is the secret MVP.
The premise is basically "What if Maria was from 2016?"
The sketch starts exactly like the 1965 film. A group of nuns, played by SNL heavyweights like Aidy Bryant, Cecily Strong, and Kate McKinnon, are gathered in the abbey. They start singing "How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria?" It’s all very polite and Rodgers and Hammerstein.
Then Ariana walks in.
She doesn't just sing; she confronts them. She overhears them calling her a "demon" and "unpredictable as weather." Instead of taking it with a saintly smile, she gets real. She uses her "millennial" voice—heavy on the vocal fry and sass—to call out their passive-aggressive behavior.
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Why the Humor Landed
The joke works because it treats the abbey like a toxic workplace or a high school cafeteria. Ariana’s Maria points out that the nuns have been practicing four-part harmonies and synchronized choreography just to talk trash behind her back.
"So you guys just made up that four-part harmony with light choreography on the spot?" she asks. It’s a meta-joke about the absurdity of musical theater that lands perfectly.
She eventually tells them she’s "had it." She reveals she’s got a "gig babysitting seven children," which she claims sounds like a "vacation compared to living with you virgins." The delivery is sharp, fast, and surprisingly mean-spirited in the best way possible.
Beyond the Habit: The Wicked Connection
It is impossible to look back at the SNL Sound of Music Ariana Grande moment without thinking about where she is now. In 2024, she finally made her debut as Glinda in the Wicked film adaptation.
Fans often point to this 2016 sketch as the "proof of concept" for her Broadway-to-Hollywood transition. She proved she could handle the technical demands of musical theater while maintaining the comedic timing needed for Studio 8H.
Actually, if you watch the sketch closely, you can see the Glinda "theatrics" already bubbling under the surface. The way she flips from "Godly postulant" to "petty pop star" is exactly the kind of range needed for a character like Glinda Upland.
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Is It Better Than the Original?
Look, Julie Andrews is a legend. Nobody is saying Ariana is replacing the OG Maria von Trapp. But the SNL version provides a cathartic release for anyone who ever thought the nuns in the movie were being a little bit "extra."
The sketch also highlights a specific era of SNL writing. It was the era of the "heightened period piece," where the comedy came from dropping modern slang into historical or classic settings. Think "Farewell Mr. Bunting" or the various Victorian-era sketches from that time.
What Most People Miss About the Performance
A lot of viewers focus on the singing. Duh. It’s Ariana Grande. Her voice is a literal instrument. But the real skill was in the physicality.
- She claps her hands for emphasis like an emoji come to life.
- Her facial expressions shift from wide-eyed innocence to "don't test me" in a millisecond.
- She matches the energy of Kate McKinnon—which is no small feat for a non-comedian.
There’s a moment where she tells the nuns they are about to "get read." It’s a bit of 2016 internet slang that might feel dated now, but in the context of a 1930s Austrian convent, it’s still hilarious.
The Long-Term Impact on Her Career
Before this episode, the general public still saw Ariana mostly as a Nickelodeon star or a "problematic" pop princess (remember the donut incident?). This SNL episode, and this sketch in particular, was a massive rebranding.
It showed she had self-awareness. She was willing to look silly. She was willing to play a "brat" if it served the joke.
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When she returned to host again in October 2024 (Season 50, Episode 3), she leaned even harder into the musical parodies. We got the "Domingo" bridesmaid song and the "Castrati" sketch. But none of those would have worked if she hadn't laid the groundwork with Maria back in 2016.
Actionable Takeaway for SNL Fans
If you want to revisit this specific era of Ariana's comedy, don't just stop at the Sound of Music sketch. You should also track down the "Tidal" sketch from the same night. It’s a masterclass in vocal mimicry.
Also, keep an eye on how SNL handles musical guests who host. Usually, if they can't act, the writers give them "prop" roles where they just stand there. The fact that Ariana was given lead roles in complex musical parodies speaks volumes about the writers' trust in her.
If you’re a fan of Wicked or just musical theater parodies, go back and watch the 2016 episode in full. It’s one of the few "perfect" episodes where the host actually elevates every single frame they are in. Check out the official SNL YouTube channel or Peacock to see the high-def version—it's worth the 5 minutes of your life.
Stop sleeping on her comedic chops. She’s been doing this since the abbey.