After channeling Glinda the Good with platinum blonde hair for roughly three years, Ariana Grande has returned to her brunette roots. The “Victorious” alum debuted a refreshing new hair color at the 31st Critics Choice Awards held at the Barker Hangar in Santa Monica, California. She notably dyed her hair blonde for her role as Glinda in Jon M. Chu’s “Wicked” film series and seemed to let it go for her new appearance.
Ariana Grande arrives at Critics Choice Awards 2026 with new hair color
Ariana Grande turned heads at the star-studded event with her new brunette look. While she had transitioned from blonde to a lighter brown, the shade still stopped short of her natural hair color. Naturally, her appearance at the Critics Choice Awards 2026 drew significant attention from fans. Her hair was styled in a stylish updo with bangs. She wore a custom baby pink gown from Alberta Ferretti.
In an interview with French journalist Sally in November 2025, Grande admitted that letting go of her blonde look was hard. Referencing the method acting technique, she joked, “I’m still adjusting and so is my hair. It’s spitting out the toner. Every time I wash it, it’s like my hair doesn’t want to be brunette. I’m not method, but my hair is method.”
The Grammy-winning songstress continued, “I’m telling you, I wash my hair one time, and I woke up with highlights… I did wake up blonde again. My hair doesn’t want it; it’s not ready yet. My hair is rejecting the toner. I’m not kidding, it’s refusing.”
Grande was nominated for Best Supporting Actress for her role as Glinda in “Wicked: For Good,” which hit the theaters on November 21, 2025. Amy Madigan won the award for her performance in Zach Cregger’s mystery horror film, “Weapons.” Other nominees included Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas and Elle Fanning for “Sentimental Value,” Wunmi Mosaku for Ryan Coogler’s “Sinners,” and Teyana Taylor for “One Battle After Another.”
