Ariana Grande breaks down her most iconic music videos, from "Thank U, Next" to "34+35." She explains everything from set design, her hair and makeup, working with Director X and how her husband helped with the 'Positions' video.
Ariana talks about outtakes while working with Jennifer Coolidge and serves us her best impression of the comedic actress.
She also shares some of her favorite Hollywood films and legendary scenes that have influenced her own videos.
- My rocket titties made their debut here.I use them all the time personally,but they publicly made theirdebut in this video as well.They're very useful though.[upbeat music]Hi, Allure, it's Ariana Grande.And today I'm gonna be breaking downsome of my most iconic videos.By the way, they told meto use the word iconic.I didn't assume that.[people laughing]♪ Head in the clouds ♪♪ Got no weight on my shoulders ♪So this video was directedby The Young Astronauts,by my friend Nev.And she and I collaboratedon this concept.I really love the '60s.I've always loved that erafor glamour, for wardrobe,for aesthetic, film,choreography, everything.The dancing scene inthis video was actuallyinspired by "SweetCharity," and the wardrobe,it's pretty, almost identical.But yeah, I really, I love that era.So we had a lot of fundipping a toe in here,and then I never kinda dipped any toes outfor the rest of my life.Also, I love Iggy's glam here.I loved her makeup, I loved her hair.It was funny 'cause myponytail in this scenewas actually not that high or teased.And like five minutes before we rolled,I was like, this looks too, eh.And then I just went in themirror, and I just grabbed it,and I was like, went like this.And I brought it up really high.And I sort of, okay, we don't needa bunch of memes of megoing like this anywhere,but it's okay, it's too late.So [beeps] it.♪ If you want it ♪♪ Take it ♪This is one of my favorite videos.This one is "Break Free,"directed by Chris Marrs.I had the time of mylife shooting this video.I loved this makeup.Kris Buckle did this makeup.He put a bunch of stickersfrom Michaels or somethingon my face, and they definitelyweren't supposed to be there.I think Dalina did this hair,and Johnny Wujek did this wardrobe.It was a beautiful, fun video.I've always loved vintageinterpretations of space,and like what the future looks like,but in the '50s or '60s,I always thought that was so cool.Big "Barbarella" fan, obviously.I continue to channelher as much as possible.There's a really cool deleted sceneon the internet somewhere,where we recreatedthe who shot first scene from "Star Wars,"which was really fun as well.My rocket titties made their debut here.♪ 'Cause it you want to keep me ♪♪ You gotta, gotta, gotta, gotta, got to ♪"Love Me Harder," 2014,featuring The Weeknd.This was our first time collaborating.It was really fun.This concept didn't feelvery personal to me,as I'm sitting in aold chair in some sand,and I end up in water for some reason.I'm dressed as somesort of whorish kitten.I love the look in it, I love the look.I kinda gave up the reins hereand was just kind of like, go for it.And then I really foughtHannah for the kitty ears.I'm really glad that I did though,'cause I really like them.I think it would'vefelt almost too seriouswithout the ears for me.♪ I'm talking to you ♪♪ See you standing overthere wit' your body ♪So this is "Side to Side,"featuring Nicki Minaj, 2016.We were going back and forthand back and forth aboutwhat should this concept be?And I remember I was on the treadmillthinking and listening to my playlistof what was becoming the"Dangerous Woman" album.And I got to "Side toSide," and I was like,why does this feel so fun tolisten to on the treadmill?And I FaceTimed Hannah, and I said,we should be on SoulCycle bikes.And she was like, [gasps],I'll call you back.And then pulled together allthese dope visual references.She was like, you and Nikkihave to be in the sauna.I don't love the look with the leggingsand the stringy bra thing.But I love the other ones.I love the one on the bike.The one in the leggings feelslike I was forced into it.I probably was.
[laughs]♪ Right now I'm in a state of mind ♪This one is "No Tears Left to Cry,"2018, directed by Dave Meyers.This was a really fun video,simply because of how muchpreparation went into it.The rotating set that we had to buildto create the first scenetook so long to get used to.And we rehearsed the daybefore, and it was so much fun.I pitched Dave this idea of sort ofmultiple fields of gravitybecause of a game Iwas playing at the timecalled Monument Valley on my phone.I told him how much I love Escher's stairsand stuff like that.And we sort of mushed everything togetherand created the "Sweetener,"what really was sortof like the centerpiecefor the "Sweetener" album and era.Which was this sort ofplay on being upside downand not knowing what isright and what is up.Because also personally,in my life at the time,I was sort of upside down,and not knowing where the ground was,and not feeling very grounded or okay.So yeah, I felt likethat was a really nice,cool way to visually representwhat I was feeling duringthose moments, really.The fashion here is really fun.I loved the polka dot umbrelladress, I really loved that.I remember feeling so joyful in that.This was styled by Law Roach.And I loved these looks, Ithink they're so much fun.♪ You believe God is a woman ♪"God is a Woman," 2018, alsodirected by Dave Meyers.This was such a fun video to do.This was glam by Ash and Josh,and styled by Mimi Cuttrell.This one was so much fun because obviouslythere are so many beautifulways to express femininityand what it is to be a woman.And there's so many thingsto lean into as far aspaying homage to art that already exists,and also creating our own.So yeah, we had a lot of fun with this.One of my favorite moments is probablywhen I'm fingering theEarth, loved that a lot.I also loved recreating the moment,the Michelangelo moment, at the end,because I was able to tease that we wereputting that in this video at the Met Galawhen I worked with Vera Wang on my dress.I like that connection, to me, that was,that felt exciting, andI felt giddy knowing.And then I love that sortof watercolor [beeps]that I'm swimming in, in the beginning.I think it's so beautiful.Alexa Meade did thatart on my sort of face,and hair, and boobs, andin the water as well.That is not random paint, it's not a pool.That's [beeps] for sure.♪ Thought I'd end up with Sean ♪♪ But he wasn't a match ♪This is "Thank You, Next" from 2018.I loved this video so much.The funny thing about this is thatwe were working on the "Breathin" video,Hannah and I were in New Yorkfilming the video for "Breathin.""Breathin" kind of was like the tail endsingle of "Sweetener" 'cause it kind of,life thrust me into the"Thank You, Next" album era.I didn't have any plan of movingon that time, anytime soon,but I kinda had to do that albumas an artist to feel better.And I really was ready to move on.And we were working on "Breathin,"and I was like, [gasps],we have to recreate all my favorite scenesfrom all my favorite movies,and make the "Thank You, Next" video.Like next month we have to do it.And she was like, holy [beeps].Like, nobody is more rightto do this with than Hannah.She turned something thatfelt so torrential at the timein my life into somethingthat felt fun and light,at least while we were doing it,and while we were making it.And what I got to share with the worldfelt bright and beautiful.Playing Regina George was really fun.Playing Elle Woods was really fun.Playing Jenna Rink was a dream come true.I couldn't believe it, JenniferGarner even reposted it.And I love her so much.I loved being able to workwith Jennifer Coolidge on this.She actually recreated all of her looksfrom "Legally Blonde" for this,which was the biggesthonor of my entire life.I worship her.I'm a humongous comedy person.I, my favorite movie is "Best in Show,"and she happens to be in that as well.You should see theouttakes, they're so funny.She was like, I met a guy with no teeth.I made out with him, it was so weird.And then I saw him under thecovers, he was doing something.And I was like, tryingto keep a straight face.And she was like, have you everkissed a guy with no teeth?♪ Heaven sent you to me ♪"Positions," 2020.I love this video so much.I love this glam, I love this styling.This makeup was by Manthonyand my hair was by Josh Liu.This styling was Mimi Cuttrell.This was directed by Dave Meyers again.And conceptualized by my husband.We were in the car driving home,and Dalton just turned to me and was like,what if you were the president?And I was like, [gasps], you're perfect.I called Dave.This was literally threedays away from the shoot,I wanna say.And we just like, he made it happen.I also love the women thatare in this video with me.It was really cool just tosort of paint this picturein a feminine way, and just say, you know,why couldn't it look like that?Why couldn't it even lookhalf like that?
[beeps]♪ So what you doing tonight?
♪♪ Better say, doing you right ♪♪ Watching movies, but we ain't seen ♪"34+35," 2020, directed by Director X.Michael did this makeup again.And Josh did this hair again.And this was styled by Mimi again.This was another one where we tookinspiration from that '60s sci-fi.Again, that old horror '60s thingis my favorite aesthetic in the world.So we tried to make itsort of emulate thatwith the drippy letters and stuff.I, yeah, feel so lucky to have done this.And choreographed by Brianand Scott Nicholson as well.This choreography is so silly and fun,but like also so chic.I've worked with them my whole career.So it's fun to sort of find new storiesto tell with them.And okay, are we voguing today?No we're being fembots today, actually.And they are always able to jump in,and execute everything so beautifully,and make me feel beautifulin the movements.And I appreciate them, andeverybody I get to work with.Thank you all so much for joining me,as I broke down some of my most,I was forced to say theword iconic earlier,but some of my most theyhappened music videos.Thank you.I'm sorry.You have to use that,you have to use that.You have to.