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That cover rendition by Ariana Grande and Jimmy Fallon went viral in 2013 Broadway-style! Now it resurfaces to evoke a lot of nostalgia and appreciation; many will remember it from when it aired, while others would see it for their first time. The duo theatrically recreates hip-hop tracks for a Late Night with Jimmy Fallon production, considering one another’s vocals with intentionally comedic over-the-top theatrics.
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They put on melodramatically sweet versions of some rap songs while bicadding another layer of ridiculous antics and a beep-a-thon that was purposely supposed to be censored for laughs. The clip confirmed that young Grande really had a forceful voice with Fallon carrying the bit through sing-dancing.
The official Tonight Show Instagram account reposted the moment with the caption: “@arianagrande & Jimmy sing Broadway versions of rap songs! #FallonFlashback.” Over 12 years have passed since it first aired on September 6, 2013.
These days, the moment also triggered some reminiscing among viewers. One user commented, “OMG THAT WAS 12 YEARS AGO 🥲”; so aptly capturing many) of those bittersweet shocks realized so long ago when young Grande, mostly recognized for her Nickelodeon work at the time, got to display her beautiful voice in such an unexpected and fun setting.
Another fan attested to the strength that both shared: “Ariana sings fabulous, but I didn’t know that Jimmy can sing also very good.” These kinds of comments are a testament to Fallon being a multi-talented entertainer: mostly identified for his comedy accolades and hosting but really able to hold a tune when the gag requires him to.
The official Fallon account was back in business impersonating another fan: “Don’t even think of getting eternal sunshine tour tickets unless you remember this… ♡.” This unsurprisingly produced a mixed chorus of laughter and tears from bundles of fans who were trying to get tickets for Grande’s extremely-demanding tour, with another saying, “God is a woman but ticketmaster is a man…”.
The comments even went on to say how much this video was a different era for Grande with one user saying in Portuguese, “She looks so beautiful and sings amazing🤩,” while another added, “Looks 100x better here than in her profile lmao,” alluding to the raw and natural appeal of that clip.
The performance remains a testament both to the absurd musical comedy for which Fallon’s shows have come to be known and to an almost pre-fame Grande vocal talent. This goofy, joyful, and surprisingly well-executed moment is one that has aged fantastically over time.
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From shock over Fallon actually being good at singing to the nostalgia from early 2010s late-night T.V., to just the sheer craziness of quality rap-turned-Broadway ballads, this clip continues to push listeners’ cherished memories. This is one incredibly musical blast from the past, and it proves that indeed, some things get better with age.
This story originally appeared on Celebrityinsider
