A Visual Celebration of Ariana Grande’s Signature Ponytail Going from Side to Side
Ariana Grande has become one of the most well-liked figures in popular culture. Her signature hairstyle, however, remains divisive. It is widely accepted that Grande has the range—she’s got pipes like an angel, and the ability to do spot-on impressions of just about anyone from Celine Dion to Jennifer Coolidge—but some would rather do the constant backdrop of her high pony swinging, to quote her Nicki Minaj collab, “Side to Side.” At this point, most super-fans are already very familiar with the origin story of the high pony—she dyed it too often while starring on Nickelodeon shows Victorious and Sam & Cat, to the point of damaging it severely—but even years after her teenybopper TV days, Grande’s updo is here to stay. Sure, she recently let her hair down in a moment of vulnerability for the July cover of British Vogue, yet rarely do we see Grande without her signature high pony; the mere sight of her without it still freaks the internet out. But can you blame her for understanding the value of putting a positive spin on a look and committing to it so hard it becomes emblematic of her pop diva persona? On her 26th birthday, we’d like to celebrate that iconic hairstyle of hers, with 18 photos of the high pony in all of its glory.
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Ariana Grande performs onstage during the 2016 American Music Awards at Microsoft Theater on November 20, 2016 in Los Angeles, California. Photo courtesy of Getty Images.
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Ariana Grande performs onstage during the 2016 iHeartRadio Music Festival – night 2 held at T-Mobile Arena on September 24, 2016 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Photo courtesy of Getty Images.
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Ariana Grande performs on stage during the “Dangerous Woman” Tour Opener at Talking Stick Resort Arena on February 3, 2017 in Phoenix, Arizona. Photo courtesy of Getty Images.
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Ariana Grande performs with Kygo onstage during the 2018 Coachella Valley Music And Arts Festival at the Empire Polo Field on April 20, 2018 in Indio, California. Photo courtesy of Getty Images.
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Ariana Grande performs onstage during the 2018 iHeartRadio Wango Tango by AT&T at Banc of California Stadium on June 2, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. Photo courtesy of Getty Images.
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Recording artist Ariana Grande performs during the 2018 Billboard Music Awards at MGM Grand Garden Arena on May 20, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Photo courtesy of Getty Images.
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Ariana Grande performs onstage at the Q102’s Jingle Ball 2014 at Wells Fargo Center on December 10, 2014 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Photo courtesy of Getty Images.
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Recording artist Ariana Grande performs onstage during Z100’s Jingle Ball 2016 at Madison Square Garden on December 9, 2016 in New York, New York. Photo courtesy of Getty Images.
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Ariana Grande performs onstage during the Sweetener World Tour – Opening Night at Times Union Center on March 18, 2019 in Albany, New York. Photo courtesy of Getty Images.
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Recording artist Ariana Grande performs onstage during the 2016 Billboard Music Awards at T-Mobile Arena on May 22, 2016 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Photo courtesy of Getty Images.
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Musical guest Ariana Grande performs with The Roots on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon on September 8, 2016. Photo courtesy of Getty Images.
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Ariana Grande performs onstage during the 2014 MTV Video Music Awards at The Forum on August 24, 2014 in Inglewood, California. Photo courtesy of Getty Images.
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Ariana Grande performs during the 2016 MTV Video Music Awards August 28, 2016 at Madison Square Garden in New York. Photo courtesy of Getty Images.
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Ariana Grande performs onstage during her “Dangerous Woman” tour at Madison Square Garden on February 23, 2017 in New York City. Photo courtesy of Getty Images.
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Ariana Grande with host Jimmy Fallon during “Musical Genre Challenge” on May 1, 2018. Photo courtesy of Getty Images.
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Ariana Grande performs onstage during Ariana Grande Sweetener World Tour at Staples Center on May 07, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. Photo courtesy of Getty Images.
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Ariana Grande performs at Coachella Stage during the 2019 Coachella Valley Music And Arts Festival on April 21, 2019 in Indio, California. Photo courtesy of Getty Images.
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Ariana Grande performs with members of NSYNC Chris Kirkpatrick, Lance Bass, JC Chasez and Joey Fatone on Coachella Stage during the 2019 Coachella Valley Music And Arts Festival on April 14, 2019 in Indio, California. Photo courtesy of Getty Images.
