Grande, up for five awards including record and album of the year, didn’t don her typical two-piece ensemble and thigh-high boots, however, but went even more elegant with a dusty blue tulle ballgown. Grande chose a custom Giambattista Valli dress and archival Christian Louboutin shoes; stylist Law Roach revealed it was inspired by a “princess.” Naturally, her hair was pulled up in a signature pony tail.

The outfit brought to mind a stormy cloud, perhaps nodding to her Cloud Eau de Parfum. Grande hinted that the gray tone will match her later looks, and she gave a little melancholy show on the red carpet by raising her gloved hands to her face and laying down.

Ahead of the 5 p.m. awards show, Grande changed into a silky top, gray skirt and $14,695 Kallati diamond drop earrings (with 20 carats of pink quartz), while keeping her long gloves.

Last year, Grande skipped the Grammy Awards at the last minute over creative differences with the production team. She posted photos on Instagram in the dress she planned to wear — a similar baby blue, strapless Zac Posen gown that was fit for Cinderella.

The “7 Rings” star strayed away from her performance costume aesthetic of a two-piece crop top and flare skirt on the Grammys red carpet. At Coachella, for example, Versace and Michael Ngo each made a custom look for her: “Barely recovering from this never ending fairytale that unfolded last night… What a moment in pop-culture history,” Ngo wrote on Instagram at the time.