In a new Los Angeles Times oral history, Wicked composer and lyricist Stephen Schwartz explains:

Let’s, maybe, I don’t know, hip-hop it up a little bit. Ariana said, ‘Absolutely not, don’t do it. I want to be Glinda, not Ariana Grande playing Glinda,'” Schwartz tells The Times. In fact, Grande was so protective of Glinda she didn’t even want to add what became a show-stopping dance break finale to the number.

Wicked’s Ariana Grande turned down an offer to add more hip-hop to “Popular.” Wicked, which stars Grande as Galinda Upland/Glinda the Good, is now playing in United States theaters. Based on the popular Broadway play of the same name,

Listen to Ariana Grande's version of "Popular" and Cynthia Erivo's version of "The Wizard and I" from the new "Wicked" movie.

Wicked” composer and lyricist Stephen Schwartz revealed in an interview with the Los Angeles Times that he pitched Ariana Grande on a different version of “Popular” for the film adaptation that she instantly turned down.

"Absolutely not, don’t do it. I want to be Glinda, not Ariana Grande playing Glinda," the singer, who stars in the Universal movie adaptation of the musical, said.