444. Practice English with ‘Popular’ from Wicked | Shadowing practice

Popular. You're gonna be popular.

Hey everyone. Today we are going to shadow and practice and learn the vocabulary of the song Popular from the movie Wicked. You're listening to the Influency podcast. I'm Hadar, your host, a pronunciation expert, fluency coach, and a proud non native speaker. With over 16 years of experience teaching, I am here to share with you all my secrets on how to show up in English clearly with confidence and freedom. On this podcast, I'll provide step by step strategies, lessons, stories and practical tips to keep you inspired and motivated on your English journey. Are you ready? Let's do it. Wicked just recently came out and it is awesome. If you haven't watched it, go watch it. I had so much fun. Popular is performed by Ariana Grande, who plays Glinda. And she sings this song to her now friend Elphaba, also known as the Wicked Witch of the west from the wizard of Oz. And she basically tells her how she can help her become more popular. It's such a great song to practice because we are going to practice speaking quickly and singing quickly. We're going to talk about connected speech, pronunciation, rhythm, and I'm going to share with you the definition of some words that might be new to you. So let's listen to the first sentence.

Popular. You're going to be popular.

Let's break down the word popular. So technically, when you say the word popular, you start with a P sound, then the oz and father pop. And then the middle syllable is usually a schwa, Y and then lur, another reduced vowel lure. Popular. When she sings it, she sometimes stretches the middle syllable and then she turns it into an ooh. Popular. Which is also a valid pronunciation. So the U is a vowel there that is usually reduced by. But in the song she actually pronounces it. Let's listen.

Popular.

So here it was pronounced as a schwa.

You're gonna be popular.

And then the second time you're gonna be popular. Right. She stretches it and then it's you.

I'll teach you the proper ploys.

I'll teach you the proper ploys. Let's say it together. I'll teach you the proper ploys. Ploys are clever and planned ways to do something usually to get what you want. The proper ploys. Now play with your P's here. Proper ploys. I'll teach you the proper ploys when you talk to boys. So notice the rhythm. Proper ploys. Talk to boys. These are the stressed words in the song, but also, if I were to just say it, these are the words that I would stress. So usually when we listen to the music of a song, then we see that it actually reflects the lyrics. It's never disconnected. I'll teach you the proper ploys when you talk to boys. Let's listen.

I'll teach you the proper place when you talk to boys.

Let's continue.

The ways to learn.

Little ways to flirt and flounce. So we have the flap T. Little, little, little. Try to connect it. Little ways, little ways. And then we have to flirt and flounce. So the word to and ant are reduced. Little ways to flirt and flounce. You want to sing it from the beginning? Let's do it.

Popular. You're gonna be popular. I'll teach you the proper voice when you talk to boys. The ways you've alert and flounced.

You don't have to put in the ooh at the end, but you could. It's a lot of fun. Let's practice it. Okay, good. Let's continue.

I'll show you what shoes to wear. How to fix your hair.

Okay, so let's pay attention to the rhythm here. I'll show you what shoes to wear. How to fix your hair. So how to. If she were to stress every single word, how to fix your hair, that would change the rhythm of the song completely. So we have to reduce it. How to sort of notice that this is how it's pronounced when people speak as well. For example, when I make my videos on how to pronounce words, that's how I say it. How to. How to. How to. How to pronounce. How do you know? How do you do? How to fix your hair. I'll show you what choose to wear. How to fix your hair. Let's continue.

Everything that really counts. To be popular.

Good. So we have everything that really counts. Let's do it together. Everything that really counts. Here. We don't have to rush. It's fun. Let's do it from the beginning. Ready?

Popular. You're gonna be popular. I'll teach you the proper voice when you talk to boys. The ways you've alert in front. I'll show you what shoes to wear. How to fix your hair. Everything that really counts. To be popular.

Good. So we go into to be popular. To be. To be. To be. That has to go by quickly. To be. To be popular. Don't forget to open your mouth for the pop.

Popular. I'll help you be popular.

I'll help you be popular.

You'll hang with the right cohorts.

Okay. You'll Hang with the right cohorts. A cohort is a group of people you spend time with and that's how you say it, with two long O sounds. Cohort. Cohort. Cohort. It's a little hard if you don't know this word, so just say it several times. Cohort. Cohort. You'll hang. Hang. Technically, this A is the A as in cat, but because there is an ng sound after hang, it's more of an e or a sound. Hang on. Hang. You'll hang with the right cohorts.

You'll be good at sports.

You'll be good at. You'll be good at. Just say it. Practice connected speech. Good. Good. Good. Good. Not good, good. You'll be good at. Now notice what happens to the D here. Good at, good at. It sounds like the T in little because it's pronounced exactly the same. The T and D between two vowels are pronounced the same. Same. And they're pronounced as a flap. Good at. Good at. Good at sports. You'll be good at sports. Know the slang. It's just like hang. Notice all the rhymes in this song. Slang.

Hang.

Know the slang you've got to know. So got is the oz on father. Know the slang you've got to know. And then continue.

So let's start. Cause you've got an awfully long way to go.

Okay, I think that's my favorite part of the song. So let's start. So let's start. And then we slow down. Because you've got an awfully long way to go. Way to go, way to go. So the T here is a flap. T. Way to go. Because you've got an awfully long way to go. Let's take it again from the second verse.

Popular. I'll help you be popular. You'll hang with the right cohorts. You'll be good at sports. Know the slang you've got to know. So let's start. Cuz you've got an awfully long way to go.

Very good. Okay, now we're getting into the faster part. Are you ready? I think you are, but are you ready?

Okay, listen, don't be offended by my frank analysis. Think of it as personality dialysis.

Okay, let's take these two sentences. Don't be offended by my frank analysis. Frank is honest and direct. Okay, so she doesn't want her to get offended because she basically. She doesn't make fun of her, but she kind of makes fun of her. Right? Don't be offended by my Frank analysis. So Frank also has that, as in Cat that turns into an a sound before an ng. Frank. Frank Analysis. Analysis. Frank analysis. So when we connect the words together, it actually sounds like Fran K. Analysis. Canalysis. Frank analysis. Don't be offended. Don't be hurt. Don't be offended by my frank analysis. Now the next sentence.

Think of it as personality dialysis.

Think of it as personality dialysis. So dialysis is a medical procedure to clean up the blood. And she uses that here to make a joke as if she's trying to fix her personality. Personality dialysis. Now, I. I really like the rhythm here. I. You know, the words were chosen deliberately or the music was composed deliberately to fit the rhythm of the words. Personality dialysis. Right. Stress unstressed. Stress unstressed. Stress, unstressed. Okay, let's continue now pay attention here.

Now that I've chosen to become a power sister and advisor, there's nobody wiser.

Not so this sounds a little confusing because the word sister at the end of the first sentence breaks into two. It's the end of the first sentence and the beginning of the next sentence. So let's listen to how it's broken down in the song.

Now that I've chosen to become a palasist or an advisor.

Now that I've chosen to become a palasis, that's the first sentence, in a way, assist. And they did that so that it rhymes with a previous line that ends with is. Dialysis. Apalysis. Dialysis. Apalysis. Dialysis. Apalysis. If I were to say dialysis. A palisistor. That doesn't work to an advisor. Okay, so this is like the beginning of the next line. To an advisor, there's nobody wiser. Okay, let's just do the second part from the beginning.

Don't be offended by my frank analysis. Think of it as personality dialysis. Now that I've chosen to become a power sister advisor, there's nobody wiser. Not when it comes to popular.

Good. Not when it comes to popular. Okay, listen to the rhythm shift here. Not when it comes to popular. Not Oz and father. When it. That's quick comes. That's a cup sound. To popular. Okay, let's just speak that part together again. Focus on connected speech. Focus on pronunciation. Don't be offended by my frank analysis. Think of it as personality dialysis. Good. Now that I have chosen to become a palaces to run advisor, there's nobody wiser. When it comes to popular. Good. Let's continue.

I know about popular.

That's easy. I know about. Know about. Know about. Know about. I know about Everything I know about what happened last night. I know about. Popular. I know about. I know about.

And with an assist from me.

And with an assist from me. And with an assist from me. Assist.

To be who you'll be.

To be who you'll be. So we have a high E and a tense ooh here. To be who you'll be. To be who you'll be.

Instead of dreaming who you were.

Well, R. Okay. Instead of dreary, who you were. Well, are. So let's break it down. Instead of dreary. Dreary is boring, sad, not interesting. So here's what she says. Instead of dreary, who you were. Round your lips. Who you were. Who you were. Instead of dreary, who you were. If you struggle with W's and R's, this is a really good tongue twister for you. Instead of dreary, who you were. Instead of dreary, who you were. Well, are. Because she's talking about her in the present. Because she hasn't changed yet. Okay. And then there's nothing that can stop.

You from becoming popular, Laur.

There's nothing that can stop you. That's easy, right? Just don't forget the th. There's nothing that can stop you from becoming pop you lur. And then she changes to lar. Because everything rhymes except for this line and the previous line said R. Well, R. So this is why she changed the L to lar. And that's always the part that makes people laugh.

Nothing that can stop you from becoming popular, Lar.

So now one last time. From beginning till the end. Are you ready? Don't forget to connect the words together. To speak fast and when you get stuck, just move on. Don't pause the video. Don't start, just move on. Sing along and then try it again next time. Let's go.

Popular. You're gonna be popular. I'll teach you the proper voice. When you talk to boys. The ways you've alert and drowns. I'll show you what shoes to wear, how to fix your hair. Everything that really counts. To be popular. I'll help you be popular. You'll hang with the right cohorts. You'll be good at sports. Know the slang you've got to know. So let's start. Cause you've got an awfully long way to go. Don't be offended by my frank analysis. Think of it as personality dialysis. Now that I've chosen to become a power sister and adviser, there's nobody wiser. Not when it comes to popular. I know about popular and with an assist from me to be who you'll be instead of dreaming who you were. Well, R, there's nothing that can stop you from becoming popular.

Lar. Well done, my friends. That was incredible. Now it's time to pump up the volume and sing along. But this time on your own. You did great. Thank you so much for joining me and I hope you were able to tap into your inner musical theater actor. Have a beautiful day and I'll see you next week in the next video. Bye.