Ariana Grande pushed back against a cultural trend that mocks openhearted displays as “cringe” — telling host Evan Ross Katz on the Shut Up Evan podcast (posted Friday, Oct. 24) that genuine enthusiasm is being unfairly stigmatized.

As Grande put it, “Earnestness scares people,” a sentiment she called unfortunate. She said that feeling deeply and expressing gratitude shouldn’t be dismissed as performative or embarrassing — even if some observers recoil at visible emotion.

The singer pointed to last year’s press tour for Wicked, where moments of sincere reaction — including the now-famous “holding space” clips — were often misconstrued online. Grande emphasized that those who were there know the context, and that the experience itself was meaningful and authentic.

Grande also explained why the publicity cycle for the sequel, Wicked: For Good, has been more restrained: logistics. The R.E.M. Beauty founder is currently shooting the comedy Focker In-Law with Skyler Gisondo, Ben Stiller and Robert De Niro. She said filming wraps on Halloween, followed by immediate travel to Brazil and then the start of the Wicked press schedule three days later — a packed itinerary rather than a deliberate promotional strategy.

Beyond logistics, Grande said the team intentionally wanted this campaign to center fans in a different way than the first film. One key effort will be a concert special set to air on NBC in early November, designed to connect directly with audiences.

The interview arrives as the release of Wicked: For Good approaches. The original Wicked adaptation became the highest-grossing film based on a Broadway musical, and its soundtrack debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 — achievements that set a high bar for the duology’s conclusion.

In other portions of the conversation, Grande reflected on early career guidance she received from icons like Madonna and Beyoncé and explained why she once believed she might step away from making albums after 2020’s Positions.

Watch Grande’s full discussion with Evan Ross Katz in the embedded clip above.

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