No this is something’s happening i know it’s a cumulative effect yeah of the show over here i’m fine with the spice so far but like my body is like what’s this hey what’s going on everybody for first we feast i’m sean evans and you’re watching hot ones it’s the show with hot questions and even hotter wings and today we’re joined by ariana grande she’s a grammy award-winning singer songwriter and pop music icon with a pair of momentous projects in 2024 her seventh studio album eternal sunshine which opened at number one and later
This year you can catch her in her role as ginda in the film adaptation of the broadway hit musical wicked set to release in theaters on november 22nd ariana grande welcome to the show thank you for having me i’m so excited what’s your mindset like going into this like do you feel prepared for this gauntlet of hot sauces in front of you i feel present and i feel as ready as i’ll ever be i feel very excited i invited myself i asked i begged to come here so it’s too late to turn back and i’m here you’re a hostage here on hot ones are
You ready to get started yes i’m i’m ready that doesn’t count i have to do better than this that’s tiny time all right i’ll join you okay delicious that’s really good my favorite song on eternal sunshine is i wish i hated you and i’m curious how do you make songs sad from like a technical perspective like beyond your lyrics and natural emotional expression are there chord progressions or song structures that help elicit that kind of emotional reaction yeah definitely well with with i wish i hated you by the way thank you
I didn’t expect you would have heard it but thank you um with that song i actually got the beat from ilia who produced that song and it was already that emotional what you hear on the record is what he sent me the first time often you’ll write a song to a beat and then it will change based on what’s written on top of it or we’ll start at the piano and then whatever but that was the first thing he sent me and the last thing that was sent to mix was that track so it was already really emotional as soon as i heard it i started crying
And i didn’t know why but it just sounded like the right place to put something like that i think sort of emotional intention leading the way can sometimes inform the music to just fall out how it needs to and i’m so grateful to work with my producers they’re so brilliant and i’m spoiled rotten really you’ll learn this quickly i’m long winded by the way i’m not coming in proud or cocky or confident i’m shriveling you just are i’m shriveling and weak and honest that’s where we like that’s where we like a guest perfect positioning mhm
What do you expect of my performance today like where do you think i’ll sit on the scale from dj kh to lord where do you think i’ll where do you think i’ll that is the scale you didn’t properly position the scale i do my homework where do you think i’ll be huh well your attitude coming into this is incredible i’m not just saying that so i think when you approach something with that kind of attitude i think you can accomplish anything so i’m going to go lord leaning o but however it happens however it happens is how it’s supposed to happen
That’s so nice that’s a nice and that’s a lie and it’s nice thank you for the uninitiated what’s it toron and how would you say it’s best used oh my god you really do your homework it’s kind of like like a a midi thing but it’s also like an instrument in in its own you can program it to play sounds from program like ableton or play something from like a certain session how did you think to ask that that’s so crazy i haven’t had one since i was younger so i don’t really know how it’s evolved since i was like 14 or we got to get you a new one
Yes oh my god really what’s a looping machine a looping machine is is something that basically loops whatever sound you’re singing into the microphone or playing into the microphone um i fell in love with it from watching image and heap at a young age she’s my favorite musician of all time and she used it to sort of build her song live to watch her do it and really show the audience like yeah all those sounds all those like lush emotional chords that you’re hearing those like pads are my voice and here’s how i got there so she like takes
The time it’s like a 10 to 15 minute performance and she lays it all out um i was really inspired by that when i was younger and um i’m such a nerd for musical production and like vocal production yeah big fan of fermented kimchi it’s there mhm it’s beautiful you’re into it yeah the notes are romantic this is a lovely pickly kimchi bouquet that one’s that one’s like lovely there we go we’ll pack it up for you take it to go thank you just for you ariana thank you so in an interview with vanity fair wicked director john
Chu mentioned your commitment to doing live vocals while filming even though he was originally skeptical saying when we were shooting it those girls were like [ __ ] the pre-record we’re going live what was the most unique situation you found yourself singing in like did you ever have to perform while hanging from a wire or harnessed into a floating bubble well yes there was lots of bubble singing which was very high up and i wasn’t harnessed i was just kind of there um and i had a lot of uh like stunty singing things but nothing
Compares to cynthia ara this is my favorite thing in the entire world watching cynthia in her harness with a broom a hat like wig corset dress like the whole thing flipping upside down flying around the set singing toine gravity every take like it’s nothing like just the most phenomenal thing i’ve ever seen in my life oh my god i love her we had to do some really insane and beautiful things for this film and it was just so much fun how we doing after three wings very good crushing it this next one is los calientes barbacoa here in the four spot
This has a more saucy side it i found this one does you found the saucy side don’t we all have a saucy side mhm not for me it’s not a spice problem it’s a a flavor problem it’s a tone yeah it’s disgusting is this one that you famously hate we actually make it i love it it’s my favorite so far so david burn of the talking heads he has a quote where he says the better a singer’s voice the harder it is to believe what they’re saying does that at all resonate with you or do you disagree i see where he’s coming from but i no i
Don’t think that one negates the other like i think if there someone has a pure some of the most beautiful performances have like perfect pure gorgeous tone you know why you why are you laughing at me i’m not you know what at i’m really not no i had a know getting into the fifth wing there was a face change that i think you were picking up on but it was honestly and this is me telling the truth me going i’ve got a burp that’s sitting right here please it’s a same that i’m trying to keep down you know back half i’ll let him fly but that’s
That’s what you saw right there i’m be honest with you we’re still getting to the fifth wing i get it it’s perfectly good i love that tagline why are you laughing no my face changed because i think i’m learning that um i don’t i don’t like hot sauce you are on top of the spice i’ll say that you know i wouldn’t be able to tell that you’re affected still lord leaning still lord leaning well i got we’re we’re only halfway there thank you for your generos and your warmth so when nyn was on the show justin timberlake talked about how that
Memorable pronunciation and it’s going to be me was actually a note from max martin who said may it’s going to be may because of his swedish accent i’m curious do you ever get notes from him that maybe sound a little bit strange at face value but actually serve to make the record more memorable absolutely one of my favorite most hilarious max martin memories and i this man i love him so much he is such an incredible friend and inspiration to me i love him so much i hope to work with him for our whole lives um but one of my favorite memories
Is when we were making break free i was a lot younger and i did not want to do the intonation on say i don’t want you and he was like no it really needs to be like pingy like like annoying it has to be like say i you and i was like fine like this i don’t want you and he and that’s what made it to the record he was like perfect thank you that’s all i needed and i was like this for the rest of my life and now i and i’m so grateful for it because i totally get it and it made it so much better and i love that song i
Love what that song has done for so many people i love hearing the stories about how it changed their lives and singing it on stage makes me so happy so that’s not even a thing anyway but when i was younger i was like is he serious yeah oh my god it’s giving me hiccups i’m full yeah the vegan wings are filling that’s for sure you can’t really tell but they’re the size of like my hand gorilla thumbs over here how would you describe the impact that leak music has from an artist perspective you know it’s kind of
Crazy how commonplace it’s come and casual attitude towards something that effectually amounts at that yeah it’s hard i it’s really hard for me because it’s really disheartening and it’s like disappointing and it sucks and i am constantly trying to get to the bottom of like how people get stuff whether it’s like videos or pictures that or or audio songs and then also like commented on criticized blah blah blah so it’s conflicting because that is very frustrating and feels very dehumanizing and then the other side is like but i’m
So grateful to be an artist that people care about and my fs want more of me so they’re going to these extremes to steal and break in um it’s so lovely to be loved no um but yeah i sit somewhere in between like being grateful to be here at all um and being like but really come on so that’s how i feel blackeyed susan it’s my drag name that was the joke i used before we were rolling and he said save these yeah it got no laughs this time the first time it was a hit and now it’s nothing nothing okay all right susan
You’re good i’m weirdly good hold on i don’t trust this am i just like i’ll join you num you could be i don’t think so though my insides know something’s happening as something is a foot mhm i’m like fine but like i’m fine here that’s all right don’t fight against the winds you know what i mean clock them no is something’s happening i know it’s a cumulative effect yeah of the show over here i’m fine with the spice so far but like my body is like what’s this why so de la soul recently released a recording of a 1996 live show where
They introduced their hit me myself and i by calling it the one that we can’t stand but everyone is digging are there any songs that you’ve retired from the live show or ones that you’d be happy to retire if fans didn’t crave them so much of course i mean i think of course that’s like a natural thing that all artists probably can relate to but seeing their reaction to it also kind of replaces that yeah does that make sense mhm there was a time when it was hard for me to feel that same gratitude that i do now for certain
Songs and for the music because i think some of it was like a stressful time and i think becoming a pop star is ins is insane at 19 or 20 and i think that experience was sort of to some of the songs a little bit or like some of the songs that are more emotional that this the experience that inspired them can be married to the music for me for a second um but with time and therapy we we sort of are able to re-embrace so i feel just really proud and grateful and happy when i hear them i i’m like that’s a good
Song whereas i used to maybe hear it and cry so that’s a beautiful thing yeah gross cheers to the next wing which is i’m talking so much because i’m delaying the inevitable it’s why we’re here yeah that’s why we’re here okay cheers cheers i took a big bite i know i saw that mhm same give me a moment yeah take your time give her a moment please you’re right she’s working i’ll sit back right excuse me i burped oh my god it’s all okay long leash on this show it’s a safe space it’s a safe space you can let it fly and i might start hiccuping a
Little bit through this it’s weird cuz my tongue is aware yeah and my brain feels like um it’s being invited to fight or flight like like to hover above and watch us do this right now yeah because not here anymore uh-huh but i’m like not i’m but i’m fine yeah but i like this all-encompassing experience that you have when you eat you know like you take a bite and i feel like you really get to know the sauce before passing any sort of judgment on it and then you know whether it’s hot or whether it’s understanding where someone has come
From why they how they get where they are and who you know like yeah with the uh i have empathy for wing a that’s right you know so many people come on the show and they come in here and they dog it and they call it battery acid you yeah with we bully this little saw so much on this show and it bullies us to be fair but you’re right you know how dare we assume or project onto them you’re right we we don’t know where they’ve come from you know right you don’t get beyond andany out of nowhere yeah no it’s it’s happening yeah my lips
Feel it it’s nice no it feels like plumper like lip gloss does i’m scared to do water cuz i think it’s going to make it worse yeah it might it might is coffee helping you tell me i’ve never done a black coffee you tell me would you like sure give it a try yeah oh sorry oh thank you very much keep it please are you sure yeah you know what it doesn’t not not work you know is that like some hack that we that we just figured out here on this show i think it is black coffee an anecdote i’m going to try this whatever
It is is almond milk almond milk for you thank you and for me actually i’ll chase little almond milk with the coffee and the hot sauce you know that’s been the worst that was the biggest reaction we’ve had all day that was the worst part so far okay i think there’s something waiting for me here you were trying to surprise or you’ve relaxed a little bit you know and then it comes up and bites you you know oh you think i was just performing i see the taste is just terrible yeah it’s just disgusting we’re in that kind of
World over here this is all horrible have you discovered the perfect vent diagram between veganism and sicilian cooking and if so how would you describe your perfect dish no it’s so funny because my family always forgets i i don’t think they forget i think they don’t want to remember and my nona always offers me meatballs and i’m like no thank you like i’m still plant-based and still sorry i’m sorry thank you but you know it’s um it’s what it is i’m not alone my my brother-in-law hail is also vegan so we have each other trying to
Navigate those sunday night dinners mhm i’m looking for the ideal afternoon in boa ratone boomers oh my god boomers overrated or underrated is underrated you can’t overrate boomers it’s boomers tell me like how do i spend an afternoon at boomers dance dance revolution the race cars outside how do you you really did your research that’s amazing have you been to batone no but i’m i’m filling out an itinerary right now that’s it and and and our house come over it all right we can we can fight off the meatballs so no can c for us
Together yeah do you shake it i shake it kind of for dramatic effect i’ve seen you do that hello okay here we go my whole team just said oh my i’m dabbing it off a little bit okay but it does have oh my god oh sorry sorry it’s all right i couldn’t do that again if i tried um okay is this her okay all right cheers cheers what a run this is going to do it isn’t it you’re going to get the best of this one it’s not going to get the best of you oh okay thank you okay let’s see here’s hoping cheers cheers it’s been an
Honor thank you very much thank you incredible i did not expect this today sir i did i called it when you walked in the room that’s weird cuz i did not feel confident at all i have like the people like that often do the best on this show yeah that’s exactly right tums and bananas and backstage coffee you came prepared you handled it the good news is too i’m worried no no no no something’s off something’s turned off i should it shouldn’t feel like this ariana grande to close things out do you have a go-to vocal warm-up see listen to
Me over here yeah do you have a go-to vocal warm-up or exercise and i’m so could you teach me it while our mouths and throats are on fire over here more me than you goodness you’re crying i know i’m crying i’m going back are you going back i’m going back i don’t want to hurt you okay so something i’ll do if have to sing i kind of start the moment i wake up like i’m brushing my teeth i’ll go m you a beautiful range and it kind of stretches through throughout the day so i’ll vocalize a little bit in the morning and then have
My day have my glam do my thing and get ready for the show but throughout the whole day i’m going like little and you stretch a little higher and a little longer that’s nice that’s exactly it feel like an elephant yeah over here and look at you ariana grande taking on the wings of death living to tell the tale and now there’s nothing left to do but roll out the red carpet for you this camera this camera this camera let the people know what you have going on in your life oh my gosh my album eternal sunshine is out and wicked
Will be out on november 27th thank you so much for having me anytime you’re welcome back thank you wooo what i can’t [ __ ] believe this all right well if you’re happy i’m happy but i’ll start over if you if you want me to try again we should open just board more thank you guys so much camera guy bill here for a spicy psa here at hot ones we love sports baseball football go long touchdown basketball heck and even fancy horseback riding and we know you spice lords are tuned in too so the next time you need a little snack to go with your sports make
Sure to make it a hot one’s buffalo bonanza our hot ones buffalo sauce is made with real butter cayenne pepper and even a little bit of celery it’s the perfect companion for chicken wings dips and all your favorite game day snacks so don’t fumble this one and order your bottle of hot ones buffalo sauce today that’s heatness.com heatness.
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Why Ariana Grande’s Recent Fiery Interview Has Everyone Talking About Her Secretive Production Habits
The scene is almost too perfect to be true: a dimly lit table, a lineup of increasingly terrifying hot sauces, and one of the biggest pop stars on the planet. Ariana Grande, usually known for her ethereal high notes and polished public image, sits before a platter of wings that look more like weapons of mass destruction than appetizers. She is, by her own admission, a hostage to the process—a guest who begged to be here, and now, as the spice begins to work its cumulative magic, is faced with the reality of her decision.
This isn’t just another celebrity interview. This is a journey through the “Gauntlet,” an experience that forces even the most composed artists to drop their guard. As we sit on the edge of our seats, watching her navigate the burn, the conversation shifts from the trivial to the profound. But beneath the surface of this spicy encounter lies a mystery that only fully unfolds as the final wing is consumed. What happens when the world’s most iconic voice meets the world’s most punishing heat?
The Architecture of Sadness
“I wish I hated you,” the standout track from Grande’s Eternal Sunshine, is a masterclass in emotional manipulation. It doesn’t just make you sad; it makes you feel like you’ve been through a heartbreak you didn’t even know you had. Naturally, the curiosity arises: how does one engineer such profound melancholy? Is it a scientific process of chord progressions and minor keys, or is it something more primal?
Grande reveals that the process is far more organic than one might expect. She didn’t approach the song with a blueprint for tears. Instead, it was the beat—the raw, unadorned sonic landscape provided by her producer, Ilia—that set the tone. It was a “first-take” emotion. When the track arrived, she didn’t dissect it. She simply listened, and the tears followed.
For Grande, the music is an emotional conduit. The technical aspects of songwriting—the production, the lyrics, the vocal layering—serve merely as the scaffolding for the emotional truth she wants to convey. When she speaks about her producers, she isn’t just praising their skill; she’s acknowledging their ability to create an environment where she can be “spoil-rotten” and entirely vulnerable.
The Life of a Pop Star at Nineteen
The conversation inevitably turns to the dizzying reality of early fame. Being a pop star at nineteen or twenty is, as Grande admits, “insane.” It’s an experience that can warp one’s relationship with their own art. She speaks candidly about how certain songs become irrevocably tied to the stress and intensity of that period in her life.
There was a time when she couldn’t listen to her own catalog without experiencing a sense of distance or even sadness. But, with the benefit of time and the work of therapy, that dynamic has shifted. The songs are no longer just artifacts of a stressful past; they are pieces of her identity that she can re-embrace, celebrate, and perform with gratitude. It is a beautiful transformation: the evolution of an artist from being haunted by their work to being empowered by it.
Question 1: What would you have done in this situation? If you had to look back on a stressful time in your own life and find the “good” in it, what steps would you take to process it?
The Art of the “Pingy” Note
Behind every iconic pop hook, there is often a genius—or a taskmaster—guiding the way. For Grande, that person is the legendary producer Max Martin. She recounts a hilarious, yet insightful, memory from the recording of “Break Free.” When she was younger, she struggled with a specific intonation in the chorus.
Martin, with his characteristic perfectionism, pushed her to make the sound “pingy,” almost “annoying.” Grande was resistant, unsure if the artistic choice was the right one. Yet, she trusted him. And in that moment of surrender, the iconic sound of the record was born. It’s a powerful lesson in collaboration: sometimes, the most memorable parts of our lives—or our art—are the ones we were initially the most uncomfortable with.
The Dehumanization of Leaks
The modern music industry faces a peculiar and frustrating challenge: the leak. When unreleased tracks or private audio are forcibly taken and distributed, the artist is left in a state of conflict. On one hand, there is the deep gratitude for the fans who care enough to seek out the work. On the other, there is the violation—the feeling that one’s creative process has been stripped of its context and agency.
Grande articulates this tension with striking clarity. It is, in her words, “dehumanizing.” It’s a struggle to maintain a sense of ownership over one’s own identity when the digital walls are constantly being breached. Yet, she maintains a grace that is rare in the industry. She understands the passion of her fan base, even if that passion leads them to behaviors that she finds personally difficult to reconcile.
The “Loop” and the Lesson
One of the most surprising insights of the interview is Grande’s obsession with musical production tools, specifically the looping machine. She cites Imogen Heap as a major influence, marveling at how Heap could build an entire emotional universe using only her voice and a loop pedal.
This wasn’t just a hobby for Grande; it was a foundational element of her musical identity. She is, at her core, a nerd for vocal production. Watching someone lay out the blueprint of a song—the layers of harmony, the pads, the rhythm—is a process she respects and deeply admires. It’s a reminder that beneath the glitz of the pop machine, Grande is a musician who truly understands the mechanics of sound.
The Wicked Commitment
As her role as Glinda in the film adaptation of Wicked approaches, the stakes have never been higher. The director, John Chu, was originally skeptical of the idea of recording live vocals for the film—a daunting task by any standard. But Grande and her co-star, Cynthia Erivo, weren’t just committed; they were insistent.
The stories she shares about the filming process are nothing short of heroic. Imagine singing “Defying Gravity” while suspended in a harness, flipping upside down, and wearing an entire costume—all in a single take. The admiration she has for Erivo’s work ethic is palpable. It is a testament to the fact that, at the highest levels of performance, talent is secondary to sheer, relentless commitment.
The Final Stretch
As the wings become progressively more volatile, the conversation begins to mirror the physical intensity of the challenge. There are hiccups, moments of silence, and honest admissions of discomfort. The “saucy” side of the wings is no longer just a metaphor; it’s a physical reality.
But even as the spice takes its toll, Grande maintains her humor. Whether she’s talking about her drag name, “Blackeyed Susan,” or the perfect afternoon at Boomers in Boca Raton, she remains the same person who walked through the door. The heat hasn’t stripped away her personality; it has only made her more human.
She learns a secret along the way: black coffee might just be the unexpected savior of the spice-eater. It’s a small, trivial detail, perhaps, but it serves as the perfect metaphor for the entire experience. Life, like a hot wing, is often about finding the small hacks, the little moments of grace, that help you get through the fire.
Reflections on Empathy
“We bully this little sauce so much,” Sean Evans notes at one point, and Grande agrees. In a strange, unexpected twist, the two find a shared sense of empathy for the very thing that is causing them so much distress. It’s a moment of levity that defines the spirit of the conversation.
We project so much onto the things that hurt us, whether it’s a hot sauce, a difficult song, or a public persona. But when we slow down—when we take the time to really experience the “bite” before we judge it—we often find that there is more to the story. There is a reason for everything, a history to every flavor, and a struggle behind every success.
The Final Verdict
By the time the last wing is finished, the transformation is complete. Ariana Grande hasn’t just survived the Gauntlet; she has leaned into it. She has navigated the discomfort with a mix of vulnerability, intelligence, and grace that is truly refreshing.
She leaves us with a simple reminder: the warm-ups, the morning vocalizations, the consistent daily effort—these are the things that prepare us for the big moments. Whether you’re singing for a film or just trying to get through a bad day, the preparation is what allows you to find your range.
Question 2: Having seen how Ariana Grande handles the pressure, what is one “hot wing” moment you’ve faced in your own life where you had to push through and find your voice?
The episode concludes not with a dramatic exit, but with a quiet, genuine sense of accomplishment. She came, she saw, she conquered. And in doing so, she gave us a glimpse into the heart of a pop star—a heart that is just as resilient, just as funny, and just as human as our own. The mystery of the “high note” is solved, but the inspiration lingers. Remember, even in the hottest fires, there is a melody waiting to be found. Share this story and remind someone that they, too, can handle whatever heat life throws their way.
