Ariana Grande and Her Impersonator Are Trading Insults
Ariana Grande has made it clear in the past that she finds TikTok impersonators bizarre. However, she’s managed to do so in a way that was a bit more subtle. Now, however, the 26-year-old seems completely fed up with impersonators and has no qualms about calling them out. But, her most famous impersonator isn’t taking the criticism lying down and hit back at the “The Way” singer.
On April 23, 2020, Grande took to her Instagram page to share a video from Jordan Firstman, who is a filmmaker. The video features Firstman giving his opinion of TikTok memes. He shared that he wasn’t a fan because they degrade and devalue art and the amount of work that artist puts into their craft.
Ariana Grande calls out TikTok impersonators on Instagram
“What if we, like, we took a moment, like a small clip from a movie or a TV show. Something that, like, an artist really poured their soul into and it, like, it just took them years to make…What if we took a moment from that and we kind of, like, recontextualized it—like, does that make sense? And we put a completely arbitrary meaning onto that thing that the artist loves so much? Kind of, like, degrading its entire value,” Firstman stated about TikTok impersonators.
Grande certainly seemed to agree with Firstman’s sentiments and reposted it in her story. She also made it clear that she was not a fan of her own TikTok impersonators. “Omg can this please also double as your impression of the ponytail TikTok girls who think doing the Cat Valentine voice and that wearing winged eyeliner and a sweatshirt is doing a good impersonation of me…cause this really how it feels. ‘Degrading its entire value’ I screamed,” Grande declared.
Paige Niemann claps back to Grande
Grande’s commentary quickly got back to her TikTok impersonators and her most famous one, Paige Niemann, even fired back with her own response. For context, Niemann has racked up over 6 million followers on TikTok for impersonating Grande and recreating scenes from Grande’s days on the hit Nickelodeon show, Victorious.
“I’m used to Ariana shading me, so it’s whatever. I’m just here to entertain people. It’s not how I am in real life. It’s kind of why I’m not a fan of her anymore, honestly,” Grande’s impersonator shared, likely referencing Grande referring to her antics as bizarre in the past.
People have mixed reactions to the feud
People had pretty mixed reactions to Grande calling out her impersonators. Some felt that she had a right to be weirded out by them, especially since Niemann claims to no longer be a fan yet her whole page is about Grande. Others felt that Grande had no business shading a young teen who was just having fun.
“How about Ariana stop doing impressions of WOC,” one person wrote, citing Grande’s penchant for blackfishing. “This little girl is literally 15. Let her have her fun and go the fu*k on, donut licker,’ another person wrote in defense of Grande’s impersonators. “Didn’t she just say in some interview that she likes being a ‘character’ and is excited if people can dress up as her for Halloween, drag queens can dress as her, etc? either you want a recognisable thing or you don’t,” another person added referencing the singer’s Vogue interview. Clearly, Grande isn’t keen on impersonators, but her opinion doesn’t look like it will stop them from imitating her.
