Ariana Grande Unveils A New Bob Haircut

There are few celebrity beauty signatures quite as enduring as Ariana Grande’s sky-high ponytail. Through the years, the singer has remained remarkably loyal to her lengths, whether swept up into a gravity-defying pony, styled into a sleek ballerina bun, or cascading down her back. Even her transformation into Glinda the Good Witch for Wicked, which saw her trade her familiar brunette shade for a dreamy, buttery blonde, kept strong on the silhouette. More recently, she returned to the brunette fold with a soft, malty brown. Now, though, Grande has made a rather more dramatic change. She’s chopped it all off.

“The ponytail is taking a hiatus,” wrote hairstylist Brandon Pietsch on Instagram, alongside photos of the singer’s new look. Pietsch, who regularly works with Grande as well as Rose and Megan Fox, was responsible for both the cut and colour: a sleek, jaw-grazing bob cut to one length with flicked-out ends, a deep side part, and a glossy chocolate-brown finish. The rest of Grande’s beauty look was just as sweet, with extra-long, dark lashes, straight brows, a soft wash of pink blush, and a touch of highlight across the high points of her cheeks and nose, plus a deep-set French manicure.

It’s quite the departure from her recent public appearances. At the Golden Globes all the way back in January, Grande traded the icy blonde for chestnut hair pulled into a dense, full ponytail with a sweeping side bang. On the Eternal Sunshine tour, she kept her hair slicked into ballerina-style buns and flowing ponytails, often finished with ribbons, scrunchies or Alice bands. If there was one constant, it was that impressive length.

Of course, Ariana Grande is in good company. The flippy bob has become something of a celebrity beauty mainstay, with Hailey Bieber and Gigi Hadid among those making a case for the swishy, flicked-out cut. Versatile, transeasonal, and endlessly flattering, it has a nostalgic sweetness that feels especially well suited to Grande’s ultra-feminine, romantic aesthetic. But it’s also a style with plenty of room for personal interpretation, whether worn with a sharp side part, tucked behind the ears, gelled down or fluffy.

And as autumn gives way to winter, the flicked out bob becomes an even more appealing cut, delivering easy polish with relatively little fuss. A good smoothing cream, a heated brush or iron to turn out the ends, and you’re there. For Grande, whose ponytail has long been as recognisable as her voice, the new look is a playful departure that still stays true to her vibe. The ponytail may only be on hiatus, but this particular bob is making a very strong case for an extended stay.