Ariana Grande Explains Why She Ditched Her Iconic Glinda-Blonde Hair for Brunette Ahead of the Wicked: For Good Press Tour
After nearly three years of shimmering platinum hair and bubble-gum pink glamour to match her role as Glinda in the blockbuster film adaptation of Wicked, Ariana Grande is ushering in a new chapter. As she embarks on press duties for Wicked: For Good, Grande revealed in an interview with Entertainment Tonight that her decision to go brunette was about reclaiming a sense of self beyond Glinda’s sparkle. “With the first [Wicked] press tour, I wanted to celebrate Glinda in a more on-the-nose way, and be an extension of her and extend the time with her through clothes, through the blonde and through everything,” she told ET. “Now I can show up as the actress who played her and play into the darker tones of the movie. It’s fun to play with hair and makeup and fashion.”
For Grande, the blonde hair symbolized more than just a color—it reflected the character. When the first Wicked film premiered, Glinda the Good Witch’s iconic look was sent soaring into popular culture, and Grande embraced it wholeheartedly. Styled by longtime collaborator Mimi Cuttrell and dressed in gowns by Ralph Lauren, Louis Vuitton, and Versace, she stepped into the role not just as a star but as a visual emblem of Glinda’s magical world.
But now, as the second chapter of the film series arrives and the story’s tone shifts, Grande felt the moment was right for a transformation. The new brunette look, slowly woven in over months by her colorist Francesco De Chiara at Nicola Clarke Salon, marks both a creative pivot and personal statement. The rich “coffee mocha” shade anchors her image in a deeper hue, aligning with the more mature, cinematic scope of the sequel. “It’s good to see me, isn’t it?” she quipped on Instagram, sharing her reflection with fans.
This change serves multiple purposes. On one level, it signals to audiences that Grande is evolving—from actress playing a fairy-tale character to artist reclaiming her narrative. As she told ET, stepping away from the blonde was part of showing up “as the actress who played her.” In doing so, she brings new dimension to the story, permitting fashion and beauty to underscore narrative meaning rather than merely promotional spectacle. At the same time, Grande’s return to brunette roots may feel like a visual homecoming—her signature dark hair earlier in her career had become part of her identity before becoming tied to Glinda’s persona.
Stylists and observers noted the precision of the transformation. De Chiara explained to Vogue that transitioning from blonde to brunette is a delicate process: the hair must be re-pigmented, warm tones added, and maintenance secured to prevent the blonde from resurfacing. The result—a multi-dimensional brunette glossed to perfection—is part aesthetic choice and part professional discipline.
Grande’s fans and the fashion world alike have taken note. At the London premiere of Wicked: For Good on November 10, she wore a vintage gown by Gilbert Adrian—a designer known for his work on the 1939 classic The Wizard of Oz—anchoring her style in the Oz universe while signaling a new chapter. Styled by image architect Law Roach, the looks ranged from moody to mythic, reflecting the narrative shift.
In interviews, Grande spoke not just of hair, but of storytelling. “It’s fun to play with hair and makeup and fashion,” she said, adding that the new look is “an extension” of the darker tones of the movie. In many ways, her aesthetic change mirrors her character’s journey and her own artistic evolution. As Glinda moves into a story with higher stakes, Grande moves with her—leaving behind the literal bubble-gum pink ponytail and stepping fully into a role, and an era, of greater complexity.
Critics have welcomed the shift as both strategic and genuine. While celebrity hair changes are often dismissed as superficial, Grande’s move is imbued with narrative significance: one of image aligning with character, self-expression meeting story. As The Cut put it, “Three years after going blonde… Grande is finally a brunette again.”
From a branding perspective, the timing is astute. Wicked: For Good premieres November 21, 2025, and Grande’s star power remains central. The hair change positions her not just as leading lady but as performer in service of a franchise, a musical icon with roots reaching beyond Oz. The wrap of the blonde era becomes a marker of transition—for the film, for her career, for the image she carries into the next phase.
For fans who’ve followed Grande’s aesthetic shifts—from her earlier dark-haired ponytail through era after era of experimentation—the brunette move speaks to stability and authenticity. While the blonde served a character and a concept, the brown feels like temperament, identity, and return. The truth is that hair color seldom alters talent, but it can signal intention. Grande’s intention now feels purposeful: to evolve, to deepen, to reflect the story she inhabits and the one she’s telling.
Of course, the public interest in Grande’s personal life, visual metamorphoses, and celebrity evolution is constant. But within this change lies a resonance: even for a pop star of her magnitude, the decision to change hair speaks to something larger—how we present ourselves, how we inhabit roles, and how, when the role is complete, we step into our next chapter. Grande’s image shift is a form of departure and arrival. The blonde is no longer required; the brunette is permitted. She’s giving her audience the next part of the story—one where the magic remains, but the persona has matured.
In the end, Grande’s words to ET encapsulate something both succinct and generous: “It’s fun to play with hair and makeup and fashion.” Behind those words lies a career marked by transformation, dramatic ambition, and grounded artistry. Grande has played Glinda, sung Glinda’s songs, and embodied Glinda’s spirit—but now, she’s ready to bring Ariana. The shift from blonde to brunette, from fairy light to film depth, reflects that readiness.
As the press tour marches on and more audiences sit down in theatres to see Wicked: For Good, they will not just see a blonde star fluttering in pink—they will see an actress grounded, evolving, and ready for what comes next. Ariana Grande’s hair change may have drawn headlines, but the meaning behind it is far more than aesthetic. It is narrative, it is identity, it is meaning. The blonde era is behind her. The brunette debut is underway.
