Bowen Yang finally got Ariana Grande to answer the question he’s been itching to ask for quite some time.
The Saturday Night Live star was very curious about the "unifying theory" that has carried the 7 Rings hitmaker through such a diverse career.
On Tuesday, Nov. 18, the actor and comedian appeared via call on the Good Hang with Amy Poehler podcast, just moments before Grande was set to join the show in person.
The host asked him to talk a bit about his friendship with his Wicked co-star and to offer up a few questions he’d love to finally ask her.
Without hesitation, Yang’s first question was, "What does she think the throughline of her work is?"
He noted that the Victorious-famed actress’ path has taken her from Broadway to Nickelodeon, then into pop superstardom, acting roles, and even fashion icon status.
It’s a question he’s wanted to ask for years, but every time he tries to bring it up, the two-time Grammy winner "squirms," as she finds this interview-coded query among friends really unnecessary.
Then came his second question, "What’s the best note to sing?" which the 35-year-old laughingly called a "silly, dumb question."
The We can’t Be Friends songstress finally answers. When she joined Poehler later in the episode, the latter passed along Yang’s questions. And this time, Grande didn’t dodge them.
On the topic of the trajectory of her career and the "unifying theme," she gave a thoughtful answer.
"I feel it feels clear actually," the Thank U, Next singer said, "I spent so much time only doing pop music but I grew up as a girl who loved musical theater and comedy. So I think the thing that will be like best for my soul and also for my art and for what I'm giving myself to is if I'm chasing things that um sort of feel just very right in the moment."
She basically just does what feels right in the moment by following her authentic impulses.
The Wicked: For Good actress explained that she follows her authentic impulses. After years of nonstop music, she needed new creative outlets, which is why she’s leaned into acting and other artistic forms.
But when it came to Yang’s "silly" question about her best note, Grande was completely stumped.
Poehler even played a few notes to help jog her thinking, but the Bang Bang vocalist couldn’t settle on an answer.
Eventually they laughed it off, admitting to Yang that they simply couldn’t figure out her favourite note.
Grande, who plays Glinda, and Yang, who plays Pfannee, grew close during the filming of the Wicked movies.
In fact, she personally convinced SNL creator Lorne Michaels to release Yang so he could join the project.
Soon after that deal was made, the 32-year-old and Yang became fast friends and later even appeared together in a comedy sketch on SNL.
They’ve been supportive of each other ever since, be it on set, onstage, or on podcasts where Yang gets to ask the questions he’s been storing up for so long.