Ariana Grande Sends a ‘Wicked’ Care Package to Young Fan Battling Cancer: ‘I Hope It Makes You Smile’

Ariana Grande just made one fan’s day a bit brighter, with the pop star sending 9-year-old Brie — who is battling cancer — a care package full of Wicked merchandise and R.E.M. Beauty products.

The young listener shared the contents of the gift in a sweet video posted to Instagram on Wednesday (Aug. 6). In the clip, Brie starts off by saying, “Today’s package is the best one yet — it’s from my favorite person in the whole wide world, Ariana Grande.”

Brie goes on to show off the perfume, makeup products and Wicked plushies that the singer-actress wrapped up for her. “Thank you so, so much, Ariana Grande,” Brie says excitedly. “I love everything in the package, especially the Squishmallows!”

As it turns out, Grande’s favorite part of the gift was the same as Brie’s. “Hi, Brie! It’s Ariana,” she says in a clip she filmed just for the little girl, which plays at the end of Brie’s video. “A little birdie told me — your mom told me — that you are a fan of Wicked and of Glinda’s, so I was inspired to put together this little care package for you … My personal favorite part is the Squishmallows.”

“I hope it makes you smile,” the Grammy winner added. “I’ve seen your videos, and I think you are the most amazing and inspiring little light beam in this universe. You’re just so incredible, so thank you for being you. I’m sending you so much love and many, many virtual hugs.”

With help from her mom, Kendra, Brie — who has stage four neuroblastoma — has built a following sharing her journey with followers on social media. Just a few days prior to her post about Grande’s gift, Brie gushed about her love for the Wicked leading lady in an Instagram video, with Kendra writing in the caption, “[Grande’s mom] @joangrande called me yesterday and said that Ariana has seen Brielle’s story, and has put together a package for her.”

“She has such a beautiful heart,” Kendra added of the vocalist at the time. “Brielle was is shock! @arianagrande, Brielle thinks you are SO pretty, and extremely talented. Thank you for taking the time to send her a package, she is absolutely thrilled.”

The sweet gesture comes just a few months ahead of the long-awaited premiere of Wicked: For Good, which hits theaters in November. It will arrive almost exactly one year after the first Wicked came out. The first film earned two Oscars, a No. 2 soundtrack album on the Billboard 200 and upwards of $755 million in worldwide grosses — more than any other film based on a Broadway musical has ever earned before.

Grande is also fresh off of the release of Eternal Sunshine Deluxe: Brighter Days Ahead, the expanded version of her 2024 Billboard 200-topping LP Eternal Sunshine. All five of the added tracks on the deluxe charted on the Billboard Hot 100.