Emmy Award-winning actress and country singer Kristin Chenoweth has gone to the dark side, switching up her short blonde bob for long, dark locks. And the result? Absolutely gorgeous.

On August 28, Chenoweth headed into the Gemini 14 hair salon in New York City with extremely light and short blonde hair. If there were any fans waiting for her outside, they may have missed her when she left -- she added extensions and opted for ombre brunette waves, treating herself to a whole new look.

The 46-year-old dishes the reason for the drastically different look: “I think I’ve needed this for a long time. I was nervous about being so exposed. It is what it is. I am what I am. I encourage people to go for it. There is nothing wrong with having a change in life. And guess what: Hair grows back.”

While going dark may age some women, it did the opposite for Chenoweth. She looks more youthful than ever, and her colorist explains, "While Kristin as a blonde with a short style accentuates her spunky charisma, her long darker locks show a more serious or mellow side. The contrast of the darker color against her skin gives her a more youthful glow. And the soft ombre or 'sombre' on her ends gives her a little taste of flirty blonde, making her new darker color a current trendy one."

The bold makeover will take some getting used to, especially for fans who associate the petite, bubbly actress with her always-blonde tresses. Thankfully, Chenoweth's wit is ever in tact. When a fan asked how her hair grew so long, she responded: "I'm actually part chia."

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