All the Times Ariana Grande Didn’t Wear Her Signature Ponytail

If there were a prize for most instantly recognizable celebrity hairstyle, the Ariana Grande ponytail would easily win. Since 2018, however, following her cover for British Vogue, the singer has been letting her hair down more—quite literally. And while she’s attributed that love in the past to the hair damage her pony hides, she explained on Twitter that it’s more than that. Life just isn’t the same without it: “My God, going back to a high pony after a few days of not wearing a high pony is a remarkable feeling,” she wrote. “I’m just supposed to have a high pony u know? Some things are just meant to be and this is jus one of those things.”

We stan; we respect a signature style. But also, as Grande proves every time she wears her hair down or gives a rare look at her curls, mixing it up is rarely a bad thing. Need more convincing? Review the photographic evidence.

The Ariana Grande ponytail definitely made an appearance in the new music video for her and Lady Gaga’s new hit, “Rain On Me.” However, Grande also let her hair (and extensions) flow free throughout the explosive dance number. Grande was all smiles every time the camera landed on her sans pony, and those blond highlights really popped. Watch for yourself, below:

In November 2019, Grande showed off her natural (extension-free!) hair texture in a video on her Instagram stories. Every so often she’ll give fans a glimpse of naturally curly hair, and each time the response is the same: hyper-enthusiastic pleas for the singer to wear her hair that way more often. Can you blame them?

The “Thank U, Next” singer let her hair down for the Chicago stop on her 2019 Sweetener world tour. Fans online freaked out, calling for Grande to wear her hair down for the rest of her tour. We’d sign that petition. It was the first time she’d worn her hair down for a performance in almost a year.

Here it is sleek, long, and flowing for the 2018 MTV Video Music Awards at Radio City Music Hall.

Making Cher happy somewhere, in August 2018.

A wig, sure, but she makes blunt bangs look good.

And here it is down on that aforementioned British Vogue cover.

Then there was the time in September 2015 when she revealed her natural curls on Instagram and fans everywhere freaked out.

Ari’s hairstylist, Daniel Chinchilla, also provides occasional glimpses of the singer in a pony-free state.

Then there was this rare topknot moment…

…and double buns standing in for the ponytail.

Then, of course, we have the requisite pre-sleep bedhead selfie. Because you can’t be a member of Hollywood without posting at least one of those.

She memorably let her hair down while performing at the MTV EMAs in 2014.

And for the 2014 holiday season, she had this cat-ear-headband moment.

At the 2014 Kids’ Choice Awards, she wore this smoothed-out blowout.

And at the 2013 L.A. show, she took her hair all the way down.

For the annual Jingle Ball concert in L.A. in 2012, she went half back with bouncy curling-iron waves.

At the following year’s Jingle Bell concert, in Dallas, she wore her hair mostly loose with sweet braid accents.

Originally Appeared on Glamour