In case you missed it, Ariana Grande showed just how dexterous a performer she is by integrating some indoor cycling (complete with handlebar push-ups) into her MTV Video Music Awards choreography on Sunday night — wearing stilettos, no less. The singer appeared to have minimal issues balancing herself in the bubblegum-pink sneaker-heels she donned onstage with Nicki Minaj. (She is a professional, after all.) However, the black Alaïa booties Grande wore during rehearsals? Well, it seems those didn't fare as well.
On Snapchat, the social media platform where we all show our not-so-polished sides, Grande pulled back the curtain a bit on what it takes to pull off such a feat. On Wednesday, already a few days after everyone marvelled at her ability to coast through what seemed like the hardest Spin class on record, Grande back-posted a video to the app that she had recorded during rehearsals, Teen Vogue reported. "I'm taking this Snap a week in advance, but after the VMAs I'm going to post this," she begins, showing off the seriously scuffed-up sole of a fancy-looking high-heeled bootie.
Grande's objective? "So you can see how fucked up my Alaïa boots are from rehearsing the cycling." And we thought clipping into the bikes was hard.
Luckily, Grande had some Rihanna Fenty slides to slip into later on. If you can't sympathise with her bootie plight, though, you don't quite understand — it's an Alaïa. (Also, a pair will set you back over $1,000 (£750) — so, not an inexpensive sacrifice. "Oh my," is right, Ariana.) At least the damage was for a worthy cause: That performance was epic.