Ariana Madix Talks Her ‘Mental Transformation’ on ‘Dancing With the Stars’ (Exclusive)

Ariana Madix is embracing the “mental transformation” that comes with competing on Dancing With the Stars as she enters a new chapter of her life. Prior to Tuesday’s episode of the ABC dance competition, Madix and her Vanderpump Rules co-star Katie Maloney opened up to PopCulture.com about what’s coming up both inside and outside of the ballroom as they also look forward to the opening of their restaurant, Something About Her. 

Dancing with pro partner Pasha Pashkov during this ongoing season of Dancing With the Stars “feels amazing,” Madix told PopCulture, especially with the high scores they have been receiving week after week. “Me and Pasha are both working so hard and we’re both having so much fun in the process,” she continued. “I’m having the time of my life and I just hope that I can keep going and keep making it through week after week.”

While Madix joked she is “still waiting for this physical transformation that everyone talks about” on Dancing With the Stars, she has noticed “a bit of a mental transformation” throughout the season. “I have to rely on and take care of my body in completely different ways than I’m used to,” she explained. “And so I’m just thinking about all of that completely different than I have before.” 

With Monster Night coming up on Halloween, Madix is currently rehearsing her Argentine Tango to “Bad Guy” by Billie Eilish. “Halloween is my favorite holiday, so I’m excited for my dance, but I’m also just really excited to see everyone’s Halloween looks and these monster looks,” she teased. “It’s going to be so much fun. I’m always nervous every week because you’re having so much fun and everyone’s so supportive of each other, and then you forget that at the end of the night, someone’s going home. That is just the worst feeling, and I hate it and I wish that they would change the rules.”

Outside of the ballroom, Madix and Maloney are working hard to open their highly-anticipated sandwich shop, Something About Her, despite Maloney lamenting “a series of challenges” they’ve had to work through. “Everyone says opening a restaurant is really, really difficult and they’re not wrong,” she told PopCulture. “So I know I wish we could just have just a constant ticker of just keeping people up to date on everything. But yeah, I know people hate when I say this, but soon.”

In the meantime, fans can support the Bravolebrities both at BravoCon and at home on National Sandwich Day (Nov. 3). Madix and Maloney are teaming up with Lay’s to release the exclusive, sandwich-inspired flavor of Grilled Cheese & Tomato Soup, available for a limited time in exclusive Something About Her packaging. BravoCon attendees have a chance to meet the sandwich queens at an exclusive Lay’s Golden Hour experience featuring Something About Her-infused cocktails and small bites that feature Lay’s as a main ingredient, while fans at home have a chance to win their own Lay’s x Something About Her kit if they head over to @Lays on Instagram and comment using the hashtags #SomethingAboutLays and #Sweepstakes.

Maloney said the Lay’s activation will be “bringing a lot of Something About Her elements to it,” adding that while she knows people are “very excited” for the official opening, she hopes “this will hold them over in the meantime.” Until then, Madix will be chowing down on her personal favorite chip/sandwich combo – salt and vinegar Lay’s in a turkey sandwich with mustard – and Madix will be trying out a new possible hit – “a chip in a grilled cheese.”