Wicked's Ariana Grande points out 'Popular' lyric mistake after error goes viral

15 November 2024, 14:53 | Updated: 10 January 2025, 15:52

By Katie Louise Smith

Ariana has blown the minds of Wicked fans all over the world...

Hate to tell you this but, you've probably been singing the wrong lyrics to Wicked's 'Popular' this entire time. Ariana Grande herself has confirmed it after correcting a mistake on the official Wicked movie Instagram account.

In the build up to the release of the record-breaking musical, Wicked's official social media accounts shared sneak peeks of Cynthia Erivo and Ariana as Elphaba and Glinda.

A clip of Ariana performing 'Popular' was shared by the film's official accounts, featuring footage of the performance alongside the lyric: "I'll teach you the proper poise when you talk to boys."

However, fellow Ozians, those are, in fact, not the correct lyrics. Poise? The very word you've probably been singing for over 20 years? Nope... It's actually "ploys".

• Read more: Wicked's Cynthia Erivo didn't think she would be cast as Elphaba because she's Black
• Read more: Ariana Grande responds to criticism of her playing Glinda in Wicked

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Yep, the correct lyric in 'Popular' actually reads: I'll teach you the proper ploys / When you talk to boys / Little ways to flirt and flounce.

While 'poise' still makes sense within the context of the song, Glinda actually wants to teach Elphaba about all the 'ploys', a.k.a. the subtle cunning moves and actions, she can use in order to win over the attention of a man.

Correcting the lyric in the comment section of the post, Ariana politely wrote: "It's ploys!!!!!! I love you @wickedmovie."

She also wasn't the only Glinda who popped up to correct the lyric video. Ginna Claire Mason who previously played Glinda on Broadway and in the touring production, also confirmed that the lyric is "ploys" and not "poise".

In the clip shared on the official Wicked movie Instagram, you can actually clearly hear Ariana's pronunciation of "ploys" instead of "poise".

If you pay close attention to the original Broadway Cast Recording, you can also just about make out the "pl" sound when OG Glinda Kristin Chenoweth sings the lyric too. The official lyric video on Wicked's YouTube channel also includes "ploys".

Responding to the lyric correction in the comments, one fan wrote: "I thought it was poise for until a few years ago when my mind was blown."

"IS IT? I always thought it’s poise!!!" another added, while a third simply wrote: "I was today years old..."

So there you have it! Ploys!

Read more about Wicked here:

• Wicked's Marissa Bode explains how they've changed problematic Nessarose scene in Part 2
• Wicked's Ariana Grande reveals iconic line was almost replaced until she fought to keep it in
• Wicked's Cynthia Erivo has co-written an original Elphaba song for Part 2
• Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande's Wicked audition tapes are going viral
• Wicked director explains why they cut iconic Glinda line from the film

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