“It’s good to see me, isn’t it?”
Ariana Grande is no stranger to an image transformation, but the one she’s debuting this week has come as a big surprise to her fans. The star, 32, is still in the midst of promoting her new movie, Wicked: For Good, set for release next month, but her transformation signals that her Glinda days are nearly behind her.
Posing for a new social media snap, Ariana shows off freshly-coloured brunette hair, styled into long waves that cascade down her shoulders. For three years now, the singer-turned-actress has been wearing her previously blonde hair up in a slick-back ponytail, so this new look takes her followers back to her pre-Wicked days when she favoured brunette colour and glamorous waves.
Ariana captions the snap, “It’s good to see me, isn’t it?” playing on a well-known quote from her movie alter-ego, Glinda. And as you’d expect, the makeover caused quite the fan frenzy, despite comments being limited to her friends.
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One pal wrote: “Ahhhh brown hair is back,” while her brother Frankie penned: “Yes it is my sister”.
Another said: “I wasn’t ready for this!!!’ with a fourth joining in on the excitement with: “A thousand times YES!”
Ariana’s hair colourist, Francesco De Chiara, posted a look at her new hair on his socials as well, adding: “From this to this – a new chapter has begun!” alongside a snap of her blonde hair above one of her new brunette tresses.
It’s unclear whether this brunette hair makeover is a permanent step back to her roots or whether it’s a quick trip back to the dark side for a new project Ariana has on the cards, but either way, long-standing fans of the Eternal Sunshine singer are delighted to see a glimpse of the pre-Wicked Ari.
As for this exact shade of brunette itself, it’s bang on trend. Brunette tones are reigning supreme this winter, with ‘pecan’ shades like this one becoming top asked-for colours in salons. Characterised by rich, multidimensional shades, which feature warm undertones of caramel, gold, and bronze, these styles aim for a high-shine, luxurious look that adds depth and warmth, often with a low-maintenance approach like balayage to create subtle ribbons of colour.