If you’re not following Ariana Grande’s every move, your mental picture of her probably includes a half-up pony or high, swinging one, liner that makes her already-big eyes look huge, and if you’re clicking through her stories on social media, more often than not an animal-face filter. It’s fun, and it’s her thing, and that’s respectable.
But on the cover of British Vogue‘s July’s issue, Grande’s done a 180. Replacing her signature vibe is long, blond hair—wore down—and natural makeup that lets her freckles pop through. It’s the kind of raw, stripped-down beauty look that’s come to signify women reclaiming their identities in the pop music world.
By now, it’s a familiar routine. Just look at the stack of newsworthy popstar beauty moments from last year, and you’ll see stars swapping their highly-styled, glamorous images for beauty looks that really do seem like they could’ve woken up like that. The list is long: Selena Gomez, Miley Cyrus, Lady Gaga, Christina Aguilera, Taylor Swift, Katy Perry, and Ke$ha have all embraced this move to a more pared-down look recently. It’s like a visual acknowledgement that these women no longer have to spend thousands of dollars to look larger than life. They can present themselves as themselves, and still be the pop powerhouses ruling the industry.
Of course, it’s hard to say whether anyone’s really wearing makeup or not on magazine covers, and how much of the decision came from Grande’s camp or Vogue‘s. But from the looks of it, Grande’s wearing at most some blush, lipstick, face makeup that lets her freckles shine through, and a gorgeous color of blond in her hair. Even outside of the pop music world, it’s what people are feeling; just the word “freckles” calls to mind Meghan Markle and her nearly barefaced walk down the aisle.
As ever with celebrities, it’s hard to say what inspired Grande’s switch from her old look to this one—or whether this will look will even extended beyond her cover. But we do know that this year has been a big one for her. Especially in the wake of the Manchester bombing, she tells Vogue that it’s been difficult to express how deeply she was affected.
“It’s hard to talk about because so many people have suffered such severe, tremendous loss. But, yeah, it’s a real thing,” she says. “I know those families and my fans, and everyone there experienced a tremendous amount of it as well. Time is the biggest thing. I feel like I shouldn’t even be talking about my own experience—like I shouldn’t even say anything. I don’t think I’ll ever know how to talk about it and not cry.” As the saying goes, a picture speaks louder than words. So maybe this is Grande letting us in; looking strong but delicate, young but wise, and wholly herself.
Related Stories:
–Jameela Jamil Told a Magazine Not to Photoshop Out Her ‘Squish’
–Meghan Markle’s Freckles at the Royal Wedding Are Inspiring Women to Embrace Their Own
–Ariana Grande Has Baby Bangs Now