Ariana Grande Rejected ‘Wicked’ Composer Stephen Schwartz’s Idea of Wanting to Make a Hip-Hop Version of “Popular”

Image from The Hollywood Reporter

• Composer Stephen Schwartz wanted to give the song 'Popular' a modern hip-hop twist, but Grande shut it down, adamantly wanting to portray Glinda as written on stage, not as 'Ariana Grande playing Glinda'.
• Despite initial hesitation from director Jon M. Chu about casting a pop star like Grande in the lead role, she impressed him with her comedic chops and deep understanding of the Glinda character, ultimately earning the part.