How Close Are Ariana Grande And Kristin Chenoweth?
Fans were certainly thrilled when Ariana Grande brought the Broadway star on The Voice as an advisor during the show’s 21st season. Grande may have eventually lost to fellow coach Kelly Clarkson. Nonetheless, it was still fun to see Chenoweth and Grande work together the entire time. Not to mention, fans certainly couldn’t get enough of Grande’s impression of Chenoweth on the show.Indeed, Grande and Chenoweth make for a great music team, and it would be great to see them pair up again. Behind the scenes, it seems that the two singers hang out a lot too (especially now that Grande is also about to play Glinda the good witch in the upcoming film Wicked, the very role that made Chenoweth famous).Perhaps, however, no one has guessed just how close Chenoweth and Grande really are.
Kristin Chenoweth And Ariana Grande Met Through Grande’s Nona
Grande had been a fan of theater for as long as she could remember. In fact, the singer/actress even reportedly performed in various school productions growing up.
And so, watching Wicked on Broadway when she was only 10 years must have been a real treat for the singer. The whole experience was more special because Grande got to meet her idol, thanks to her beloved grandmother or nona.
“[Her Nona] said, ‘Well, this is my granddaughter, Ari, and she also likes to sing.’ And I said, ‘Oh, that’s so sweet,’” Chenoweth recalled while on Late Night with Seth Meyers. “And she goes, ‘Sing something for her, Ariana. Sing.' Ariana sang a little something, and I was like, ‘Holy crap. She’s really good.”
Chenoweth then gave Grande a replica of her Wicked wand (along with a hand soap) and inspired her to “follow your passion.” They, of course, kept in touch.
They’ve Collaborated A Couple Of Times Over The Years
It looks like Grande took Chenoweth’s advice to heart because like her idol, she pursued a career in both music and acting too. Years later, the two women ended up joining the cast of the Emmy-winning Hairspray Live! where Grande was cast as Penny Pingleton and Chenoweth played Velma Von Tussle.
The entire production may be colorful and entertaining but at its core are issues like race and body image. This is precisely why it meant so much to both Chenoweth and Grande. “Because the hook says, 'We've come so far, but we've got so far to go,' which is exactly where we're at right now,” Grande remarked. “It's exactly why we're supposed to be doing this show right now, cosmically. The world needs to hear it in a fun musical way, it's a message that we need to get out there.”
“She just said it perfectly,” Chenoweth remarked during a joint interview with Grande. “That's it. The message of love, unity through music.”
Being as close as they’ve become, Chenoweth and Grande also couldn’t help but get emotional about working together for the first time. “We cried in every interview. Like weird. Like combustion,” Grande admitted. The 7 rings singer added, “We love each other. Always have.” Chenoweth later chimed in, “I also love her family.”
Aside from Hairspray Live!, Chenoweth and Grande later collaborated on a cover of Lesley Gore’s 1963 hit You Don’t Own Me. The song is part of Chenoweth’s album For the Girls. “congratulations on your new album and thank you from the bottom of my heart for having me be a part!” Grande wrote on Twitter. “i truly can’t put into words how much it means to me ! i truly can’t believe this is even real.”
“You are my baby and i love you. I couldn’t be more proud of you,” Chenoweth wrote in response. “Thank you for blessing the works with your gift. And for being on my record. I love you very much.”
Just a few years later, Chenoweth and Grande reunited once more on The Voice. Outside of work, however, it seems the two women have been hanging out a lot too.
“We've had some dates — well not as a couple, which there's nothing wrong with that — but with other partners, yeah we've had some dates,” Chenoweth revealed while on The Kelly Clarkson Show.
Kristin Chenoweth Had Always Known Ariana Grande Would Make The Perfect Glinda
When news came out that Grande was cast to play Glinda in Jon M. Chu’s Wicked. “I'm not sure if I've ever been this proud. From the very first day I met you (swipe to see!!), you were destined for this role. Congratulations @arianagrande!” Chenoweth wrote on Instagram.
“The best Glinda you will be with @cynthiaerivo by your side ðð I love you!!” Grande had long dreamed of playing Chenoweth’s iconic role.
Meanwhile, a release date for Grande’s Wicked is yet to be announced. It was originally going to make its way to the theaters in December 2019. But with production delays due to COVID, those plans were scrapped.
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