Ariana Grande Teases Change in Career Plans

Ariana Grande is looking to make a change in her career. As the Grammy winner prepares for the highly-anticipated Wicked film this month, it seems like she’s teasing a full-time return to acting and putting music in the rearview, at least for now. Grande released her latest studio album, eternal sunshine, earlier this year, but that might be the last one for a while.

Via Billboard, she was speaking with Wicked co-star Bowen Yang and Matt Rogers on their Las Culturistas podcast where she got candid about wanting to return to Broadway. “It is my heart,” Grande, who got her start on Broadway when she was a teenager in 13: The Musical, said. She later got her big break on Nickelodeon, starring as Cat Valentine on Victorious and its spinoff, Sam & Cat.

“I’m gonna say something so scary — it’s gonna scare the absolute s— out of my fans and everyone, but I love them, and they’ll deal, and we’ll be here forever,” the 31-year-old shared. “I’m always going to make music, I’m always going to go on stage, I’m always going to do pop stuff, I pinky promise. But I don’t think doing it at the rate I’ve been doing it for the past 10 years is where I see the next 10 years.”

Since 2013, the former Nickelodeon star has put out seven albums with four tours, which can be quite a lot. Meanwhile, aside from 13, she appeared in a production of A Snow White Christmas in 2012 at Pasadena Playhouse and starred on NBC’s Hairspray Live! in 2016. After booking Wicked and her dream role of Galinda, Grande wants to return to her first love of musical theater.

“Reconnecting with this part of myself who started in musical theater, and who loves comedy, and it heals me to do that — finding roles to use these parts of myself and put them in little homes and characters and bits and voices and songs,” Grande explained. “Whatever makes sense, or whatever roles we see fit, or where I could really do a good job or honor the material, I would really love to. I think it’s a lot better for me. I’m getting emotional.”

Ariana Grande admitted that 2020’s Positions “kind of didn’t go well” when it came out. It spent two weeks at the top of the charts, but when it came to the reception that really mattered, she took it to heart. “I just mean as far as what my fans were saying … I just got like, ‘This is not what we want’ vibes,” she said. “That really put me in a cage of judging every piece. I scrapped so many things I was going to put out for it. And now people love it like it’s the best thing I’ll ever make! What is that? How is that fair? But I love them for it.”

This doesn’t necessarily mean that Grande won’t be putting out any more music for the time being, but fans shouldn’t expect another album for a while. If that means she gets to return to acting or be on Broadway, then that’s not so bad. Fans can see Grande in Wicked, releasing in theaters on Nov. 22.