As the new Wicked flick steals all the hype this Christmas, it’s got us digging back into lead star Ariana Grande’s career to get a real glimpse of the festive spirit. And we’ve found the ultimate flashback performance from Ari’s early career; one that’s destined to outshine the current controversy and get you Music Man readers diving into the seasonal cheer.
Filmed at Walt Disney World’s Florida resort before Cinderella’s castle during the site’s 2014 Christmas Day Parade, Ariana Grande hits the tree-lined stage with a festive hit of her own, as well as a cover of one of the greatest Christmas songs in pop music history. Watch the magic unfold in the video below – it’s already racked up over 11 million YouTube views to date!
Performing in a snow-white, champagne-glittered mini dress with snow-dusted Minnie Mouse ears perched atop her brunette locks, Ariana instantly dazzles her Disney Christmas crowd with a genre-bending rendition of Wham!’s megalithic hit “Last Christmas.” Except, this isn’t your usual cover, by a long shot.
Still riding the vivid R&B aura of her early career, Ariana restyles the pop song into an R&B piece without losing a glimmer of the festive feeling. A new beat underscores this cover, its offbeat rhythms modernizing the tune as Ariana’s bright vocals float both bold and ethereal over the track.
But that’s not all. For Ariana’s official studio cover of the song, released on her debut EP, “Christmas Kisses” back in 2013, Ariana stripped the hit of its original verses, revamping the 80s song with some fresh new lyrics, melodies, and an atmosphere practically incomparable to the Wham! classic. As she sings on the Disney stage, she unleashes this contemporary rendition, sending her fans absolutely haywire.
After blowing kisses to her screaming crowd, Ariana stuns them once more with a Christmas original of her own: her then-brand new 2014 single, “Santa Tell Me.” Not heard this song before? It’s almost as if Mariah Carey left an old songbook lying around the Disney castle, only for Ariana to pick it up and slay each feel-good festive lyric, ad-libs, and Christmas Queen aesthetics included.
While fans lose their minds over this clip from Ari’s breakthrough era, others have been taken aback by Ariana’s evolution through the decade since. From her style to her powerhouse vocals, Ari’s later refinement as a world-class singer becomes crystal clear in this clip as the young star fails to hit a few pitched notes; a feat unthinkable during her current movie-musical era. It’s proof that even A-Listers need to hone their stage skills to blossom and conquer as Ari has done, while giving a rare and much-needed glimpse of this chart-topper as a down-to-earth singer-in-training, over the forever-flawless character she emanates today.