Ariana Grande Defends Passion and Authenticity in Emotional Podcast Interview

In a recent interview on the Shut Up Evan podcast, pop superstar Ariana Grande opened up about her distaste for the current cultural trend of dismissing genuine enthusiasm as "cringe" or "trying too hard." The 32-year-old singer expressed her belief that people should be able to be passionate and excited without facing criticism.

Grande reflected on how her emotional reactions during last year's Wicked press tour were often mistaken for inauthenticity, despite the fact that there were many meaningful moments that would have been understood by those present. She explained that the upcoming press tour for the Wicked sequel will be more focused on connecting with fans, including the premiere of a concert special on NBC in early November.

The R.E.M. Beauty founder also discussed the logistical challenges of balancing her Wicked commitments with filming for the upcoming Focker In-Law movie, which she is wrapping up on Halloween before heading straight to Brazil to start the Wicked press tour. Despite these scheduling conflicts, Grande emphasized that the team wanted to make the second Wicked promotional cycle different and more fan-centric than the first.