Ariana Grande says filming Wicked reignited her creativity and ultimately inspired her to return to the recording studio.
The 32-year-old singer and actress opened up about the experience during a new interview with Evan Ross Katz on the Shut Up Evan podcast, released Friday, October 24. Grande revealed that working on the musical’s long-awaited film adaptation gave her a renewed sense of artistic connection that led directly to the making of her 2024 album, Eternal Sunshine.
“I felt like a genuine spark, like a reconnection and inspiration and something I mean, maybe I missed it,” Grande said of the process of filming Wicked. She added that rediscovering that feeling was essential for her growth as both an artist and performer. “Maybe it’s as simple as I missed it. But I do feel like you have to miss things in order to learn how to become better. And I think I learned so much. And then also I genuinely wanted to do it. I just felt like I couldn’t not. It was an inspired moment and I had to write an album and I had to do it.”
The pop star explained that the intensity of filming Wicked did not deter her from pursuing new music, even as production schedules grew increasingly demanding. Grande recalled that the film’s production team informed her of a reshoot schedule planned for January, which would require significant preparation and travel. “I said, great, that’s fine. I’ll finish it before then, or I’ll finish it after,” she told Katz, describing how she adapted her creative timeline to fit around the movie’s commitments.
Eternal Sunshine, released in March 2024, became one of Grande’s most acclaimed albums, earning a nomination for Best Pop Vocal Album at the 2025 Grammy Awards. The project saw her reunite with longtime collaborators and producers, including Max Martin and Ilya Salmanzadeh.
Grande stars in Wicked as Glinda Upland, also known as “Glinda the Good,” in the two-part film adaptation of the Broadway musical directed by Jon M. Chu. The first installment was released in November 2024, while Wicked: For Good, the concluding chapter, is scheduled to premiere on November 21, 2025.
During the interview, Katz asked Grande about the impact of the Hollywood strikes in 2023, which temporarily halted filming. When production resumed, he wondered whether she needed time to reconnect with her character after such a long break. Grande said that stepping back into Glinda’s world came naturally. “No, it was there. There was nothing to find,” she explained. “It was so strange, I was like, ‘Oh, I wonder if this will feel weird.’ And as soon as I got there it was like, done. She was right there, it was wonderful, thank god.”
Her portrayal of Glinda marks Grande’s first major film role in nearly a decade. The singer first rose to fame as a Nickelodeon actor before launching her pop career, and she has long expressed admiration for the Wicked musical. Her casting in the role of Glinda, opposite Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba, was announced in 2021, and the project has been one of her most anticipated ventures since.
Grande’s comments highlight how the experience of filming Wicked influenced her beyond acting, sparking a renewed desire to create music and explore new emotional territory. Despite balancing a demanding movie schedule and her recording commitments, she described the period as one of personal and artistic fulfillment.
The success of Eternal Sunshine and her upcoming appearances in both Wicked films mark a defining phase in Grande’s career, one that blends her talents as both a vocalist and performer while reaffirming her connection to storytelling through multiple forms of art.
Wicked continues to generate strong anticipation ahead of its second installment, while Grande’s focus on music, film and performance suggests her creative resurgence is only just beginning.