Ariana Grande Trades Pink for Black at CinemaCon Wicked: For Good Presentation. Is She Hinting at What’s to Come for Glinda?

Grande and Cynthia Erivo matched in all-black styles, instead of their usual contrasting looks

Ariana Grande has been repping Glinda’s pink styles since the press cycle for Wicked first began, but now the pop star is trading the bright hue for something much darker.

Grande, 31, attended the Wicked: For Good presentation at CinemaCon 2025 in Las Vegas on Wednesday, April 2. The Glinda actress was joined by movie director Jon M. Chu, producer Marc E. Platt and costar Cynthia Erivo for the occasion.

Usually, the “We Can’t Be Friends” singer opts for method dressing at Wicked-related events, wearing various shades of pink, ranging from dusty rose and bubblegum, to fuchsia and dainty pastel — this time, however, Grande traded Glinda pink for a black strapless velvet dress that matched Erivo’s darker color palette.

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Pink has overtaken Grande’s wardrobe in recent months. Her love of the shade doesn’t just date back to Wicked‘s release, though.

In a clip from Wicked‘s home digital release, exclusively obtained by PEOPLE, the star revealed that she “had a little portion of my closet that was all just little pink tops and stuff, just in case” she got the part of Glinda.

“I was like, ‘What underwear would Glinda wear today?’ ” Grande joked in the clip.

At the Australian premiere of Wicked in November, the 31-year-old wore a stunning dusty rose 18th century-themed ballgown inspired by the previous Glinda gowns other stars have worn over the years.

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“We wanted to start this press tour off with a tribute to the beautiful Billie Burke’s Glinda from The Wizard of Oz,” she told Vogue Australia. “The star bursts on the sleeves and corset were designed to resemble Glinda’s wand from the original The Wizard of Oz.”

“From working on the mood boards [with Mimi Cuttrell, Ariana’s stylist] to send to inspire the designers, to shopping for vintage pieces that make sense for this story we are telling, to the fittings, to this, here, now, celebrating the work we’ve done while being able to wear such special pieces is just such a beautiful experience,” Grande continued. “I’m just grateful that I don’t have to fully say goodbye just yet, and for the fashion, as it has played such a joyous role in that.”

However, at CinemaCon, Grande opted for a more subdued look. It may have been a simple style preference, or the actress could be nodding toward darker days ahead for Glinda in the sequel.

In a March interview with PEOPLE, Academy Award-winning costume designer Paul Tazewell revealed that both Glinda and Elphaba will undergo style transformations in the second part of the story.

For Glinda, that means embracing a more mature look. “She’s become much more of a politician. Because she is installed at the Palace at Emerald City, she wears clothes that are to her station and are elevated and very glamorous,” he shared.

However, at CinemaCon, Grande opted for a more subdued look. It may have been a simple style preference, or the actress could be nodding toward darker days ahead for Glinda in the sequel.

In a March interview with PEOPLE, Academy Award-winning costume designer Paul Tazewell revealed that both Glinda and Elphaba will undergo style transformations in the second part of the story.

For Glinda, that means embracing a more mature look. “She’s become much more of a politician. Because she is installed at the Palace at Emerald City, she wears clothes that are to her station and are elevated and very glamorous,” he shared.