They say that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, and that is certainly true when one diva pays tribute to another.
During a fun segment of Carpool Karaoke on “The Late Late Show With James Corden,” songstress Ariana Grande showed off both her impressive vocal chops and her keen sense of humor. During the 13+ minute car ride, Ariana even pulled out a talent we had no idea she possessed: the ability to perfectly imitate Canadian superstar Celine Dion.
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This isn’t the first time we’ve heard Ariana singing one of Celine’s songs. During a recent segment for James’s show, the diminutive celebrity sang a perfect rendition of “My Heart Will Go On” for their “Titanic” pop makeover. However, for Carpool Karaoke, Ariana pulled out all the stops!
The segment started off pretty normally, with James and Ariana singing along to her hits “Dangerous Woman” and “Side to Side.” As usual, they made small talk in between songs, and since she recently celebrated her 25th birthday, the duo touched on some of the strange party themes the singer favored growing up.
The theme of her 2nd birthday party, for instance, was “Jaws.” Yes, the movie about the blood-thirsty shark!
“No kids came. They came and then left,” she said with a giggle.
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When James mentions how effortlessly she hits the high notes, and with such a diva-like flourish, Ariana admits that she listened to “all the divas” while she was growing up. Destiny’s Child, Whitney Houston, Celine Dion, and Mariah Carey were the musical icons she always aspired to be.
“It took me a while to find my own sound because I was just singing their songs so much.”
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That’s when James asks Ariana to impersonate Celine’s classic singing style. But when Ariana gets into character, she really owns it… complete with Celine’s thick French Canadian accent we all know and love. Quite frankly, it’s uncanny!
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James is so blown away, he is momentarily speechless. “It’s like she’s in the car!” He finally blurts.
After grooving to another one of her own hits, James asks Ariana about some of the strangest rumors she’s ever read about herself in the tabloids. Aside from the constant pregnancy rumors (all untrue so far), she says the biggest fake story out there is the one in which she needs to be carried everywhere.
“There was a picture of me being carried by my tour manager because I had just shot a video in pointe shoes. And I posted it because I thought it was cute, and my toes were bleeding,” she explained.
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“So it isn’t true?” James asks. “You don’t get carried everywhere?”
“No! No! That’s so stupid! Are you crazy?”
Proving that her sense of humor and self-deprecation are well developed, James then carries Ariana into a coffee shop so she can order a grande (naturally).
“Hello, I’m Ariana Grande. I must be carried!” She announces to the laughing coffee shop workers.
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Back in the car, they sing “I Like It” before bonding over their mutual love of Broadway musicals. Naturally, this affection leads to a duet of “Suddenly Seymour” from “Little Shop Of Horrors.”
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She’s to cute and talented!
We always love seeing our favorite singers in James’s car, because it allows us to see them in a more relaxed, natural setting. After watching Ariana imitating Celine and poking fun at her own image, we somehow like her even more.
The post Ariana Grande Imitates Celine Dion On Carpool Karaoke & It’s Amazing.