Ariana Grande's 2024 Oscars Look Isn't Bad - It's Drag (& Others Should Take Notes)

Ariana Grande stunned at the 2024 Oscars in a large, blush-pink cloud of a dress by couturier Giambattista Valli, and it's only natural to draw parallels between the enchanting look and her upcoming role as Glinda the Good Fairy in "Wicked," especially since costar Cynthia Erivo, who's portraying Elphaba the Wicked Witch, wore a deep green gown to the event. But that's not the only influence worth noting in her magical, statement-making look at the Oscars — her first red carpet appearance since 2020.

Grande has long made her adoration for drag well-known, and her exaggerated gown can easily be interpreted as being inspired by the extravagant art form. The "yes, and?" singer spoke about her passion for makeup in a Vogue "Beauty Secrets" video in 2023, raving about drag — although Grande certainly still looks flawless makeup-free. "I love drag so much, it is so inspiring to me. When I was on Broadway doing '13,' I used to go afterwards to go see the queens and sometimes I'd end up singing. That was a really joyous and important part of my life," Grande said in the video. 

As Grande becomes ever more confident in her music and career, she's taking bigger fashion swings as well, and her 2024 Oscars look is a net positive for the industry as a whole if you ask us.

Ariana Grande, whose latest album "Eternal Sunshine" became Spotify's top-performing song in a single day of 2024 over Oscars weekend, also appeared as a guest judge on "RuPaul's Drag Race" on Seasons 7 and 15, and the competitors weren't the only ones swooning. "The funniest thing about meeting Ariana Grande is that she was just as starstruck to meet us as we were to meet her," contestant Irene Dubois told E! News.

There's clearly still a theater kid in Grande's heart, as seen through her stunning style transformation, and her expressive gown certainly speaks to that spirit. The singer paired her voluminous, cotton candy dress with pink diamond jewelry that was perfectly fit for a queen — or a good witch. The larger-than-life ensemble expresses what so many cherish about the empowering art form: freedom and fun amped up to the max. Drag has shaped modern beauty trends, and we're ready for it to fully take over fashion, too. We need to say goodbye to plain, simple, and boring red carpet looks. People want a spectacle — something to fawn over and talk about.

Ultimately, anyone writing off Grande's 2024 Oscars look as too much should take note and reconsider that it isn't bad — it's drag, and drag is intentionally over the top. We need more of this opulent energy on red carpets, not less, and as drag artistry becomes more mainstream, we're hopeful that Grande's look is a nod toward the future of fashion — not a fun, one-off look.