Ariana Grande Responded To Her Lyric Change In Wicked

In the days following the premiere of Wicked, fans aren’t just holding space for “Defying Gravity” but for countless moments in the hit movie musical, from Fiyero’s “If only because dust is what we come toooo” to Glinda’s “The wicked die alone.” But one lyric from the film is going especially viral — and it’s nowhere to be seen in the original Broadway musical.

During “Popular,” Glinda (then Galinda) tells Elphaba that the “celebrated heads of state” and “specially great communicators” had one thing in common. “Did they have brains or knowledge? Don’t make me laugh. They were —”

“Popular,” Elphaba says.

“RIGHT,” Glinda responds, slamming her book down, clearly thrilled that her new bestie-slash-project is a quick study.

It’s a subtle but spirited change from the original musical, in which Glinda isn’t cut off and says, “They were popular” herself.

Along with the change, Ariana Grande’s delivery has gone viral on TikTok, with fans praising her emphatic delivery and comedic timing — and, of course, using the exchange to describe their own moments of feeling seen and understood.

On Nov. 27, Grande weighed in by sharing a behind-the-scenes clip from the studio, where she first heard the live take that had been previously captured on set. (Yes, the Wicked stars sang live, leaving room for delightfully improvised moments like this.)

“I scared myself,” Grande wrote. “I called [director] Jon [M. Chu] immediately giggling.”

Despite it becoming such a viral moment, Grande said she has no memory of devising it on the day. “For the record, I absolutely do not remember doing this,” she wrote.

How “Popular” Got Even More Popular

While Grande might not remember that specific flourish, she was clearly committed to channeling Glinda’s energy during “Popular.” In a breakdown of the scene for the Los Angeles Times, choreographer Christopher Scott likened Grande to a modern-day Lucille Ball.

“I never laughed harder in my life. Rehearsing with her, every day was hysterical,” he said. “You look up and everyone’s laughing so hard and Ari’s makeup is running down her face because she’s been crying laughing.”

Grande’s “RIGHT” isn’t the only change in “Popular.” Notably, the song’s outro is extended in a sequence that sees Glinda dancing down the hallway.

“I had this idea for a new vocal ending. Ariana was a little hesitant about it, but I told her that if I had thought of it for the original show, this is how it would have been,” composer and lyricist Stephen Schwartz told the Times. “Once she was reassured that this new bit of music was coming out of character, she was on board.”