Biography
Ariana Grande-Butera is an American singer, songwriter, and actress born on June 26, 1993, in Boca Raton, Florida, to graphic designer Joan Grande and businessman Edward Butera.[1][2] She began performing at a young age in local theater and with the South Florida Philharmonic, appearing in productions such as Annie before making her professional breakthrough at age 15 as Charlotte in the 2008 Broadway musical 13, for which she won a National Youth Theatre Association Award.[1][2] In 2010 she gained widespread recognition on Nickelodeon as Cat Valentine in the teen sitcom Victorious and later its spin‑off Sam & Cat, roles that showcased her comic timing and powerful vocal range and established her as a young TV star.[1][2]
While acting, Grande was simultaneously developing a recording career, contributing vocals to the Victorious soundtracks and posting covers online, which led to a deal with Republic Records in 2011.[1][4] Her debut album Yours Truly (2013), blending pop and R&B with a strong 1990s influence, debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 and drew critical comparisons between her four‑octave, whistle‑register voice and Mariah Carey’s.[2][4] She quickly followed with My Everything (2014), Dangerous Woman (2016), Sweetener (2018), Thank U, Next (2019), Positions (2020), and Eternal Sunshine (2024), scoring numerous worldwide hits including “The Way,” “Problem,” “Bang Bang,” “Side to Side,” “No Tears Left to Cry,” “Thank U, Next,” “7 Rings,” and “Positions.”[1][2] Her style is rooted in pop and contemporary R&B with elements of trap, EDM, and hip‑hop, characterized by melismatic vocals, whistle tones, and confessional lyrics that increasingly address grief, relationships, and self‑empowerment.[1][2]
Across her career Grande has become one of the defining pop artists of the 2010s and 2020s, earning multiple Grammy Awards, more than a dozen Grammy nominations, and numerous chart records, including several number‑one debuts on the Billboard Hot 100.[1][2] She headlined major tours such as The Honeymoon Tour and the Sweetener World Tour and, in 2019, became at the time the youngest artist to headline Coachella.[1] Beyond music, she returned to high‑profile acting with her role as Glinda in the 2024 film adaptation of Wicked, which earned her Academy Award and Golden Globe nominations and reinforced her versatility as both a vocalist and musical theater performer.[1] Her influence extends to vocal performance standards in contemporary pop, the resurgence of powerhouse, R&B‑inflected female pop vocals, and a generation of younger artists citing her as a model for blending social media presence, personal storytelling, and technical vocal skill.
Fun Facts
- Before her TV fame, Ariana Grande’s first major professional role was on Broadway, playing Charlotte in the musical 13 at just 15 years old.[1][2]
- Her breakout Nickelodeon character Cat Valentine required her to dye her hair bright red so often that it caused significant damage, leading to her later signature high ponytail as a more protective style.[1]
- Grande became, at the time, the youngest artist ever to headline the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival when she led the 2019 lineup at age 25.[1]
- Her performance as Glinda in the 2024 film adaptation of Wicked earned her both Academy Award and Golden Globe nominations for best supporting actress, signaling a major return to musical theater–style acting.[1]
Associated Acts
- Victorious Cast - original (2010-03-27–2013-02-02)
Musical Connections
Mentors/Influences
- Mariah Carey - Vocal and stylistic influence; Grande’s use of whistle register, melisma, and 1990s‑style R&B pop has frequently been compared to Carey’s and acknowledged as an inspiration. (Yours Truly; early singles such as "The Way") [2010s–present]
- Whitney Houston - Foundational influence on Grande’s perception of powerful female vocalists; cited in discussions of the big-voice pop/R&B tradition she follows. (General vocal approach and live interpretations of ballads) [Childhood–present]
- Broadway and musical-theatre tradition - Early training ground through stage roles, shaping her belt technique, phrasing, and affinity for theatrical pop. (Stage role as Charlotte in 13 and later casting as Glinda in Wicked) [Late 2000s–present]
Key Collaborators
- Nicki Minaj - Frequent guest rapper on Grande’s singles and live performances, blending pop-R&B vocals with hip‑hop features. ("Bang Bang" (with Jessie J), "Side to Side," "The Light Is Coming") [2014–2018]
- The Weeknd - High‑profile duet partner on pop-R&B ballads and remixes, combining their distinctive vocal styles. ("Love Me Harder," "Off the Table," remix of "Die for You") [2014–2020s]
- Lady Gaga - Pop peer and collaborator; their dance-pop duet earned major awards and highlighted Grande in EDM-influenced pop. ("Rain on Me" (won Grammy for best pop duo/group performance)) [2020]
- Mac Miller - Rapper and producer who collaborated on her early breakthrough single and other tracks, blending pop hooks with rap verses. ("The Way," other studio collaborations and performances) [2013–2016]
- Producers Max Martin and Ilya Salmanzadeh - Core members of her songwriting/production team, instrumental in shaping her mainstream pop sound. (Significant portions of My Everything, Dangerous Woman, Sweetener, and Thank U, Next) [Mid‑2010s–2019]
Artists Influenced
- Billie Eilish - Although stylistically distinct, Eilish emerged amid a landscape reshaped by Grande’s streaming and pop dominance and has been publicly linked to her as a successor in breaking Coachella age records and modern pop norms. (General pop trajectory following Grande’s 2010s success) [Late 2010s–2020s]
- Olivia Rodrigo - Disney‑to‑pop crossover whose career path parallels Grande’s move from teen TV to chart‑topping, emotionally candid pop, reflecting the viability of that trajectory Grande helped cement. (Sour and Guts in the context of post‑Grande confessional pop) [2020s]
- Emerging pop and TikTok vocalists - Numerous younger singers cite Grande’s whistle tones, runs, and high‑pony visual aesthetic as templates for contemporary pop performance and branding. (Covers and original tracks modeled on her vocal style across streaming and social media platforms) [Late 2010s–present]
Connection Network
Discography
Albums
| Title | Release Date | Type |
|---|---|---|
| eternal sunshine | 2024-03-08 | Album |
| Wicked: The Soundtrack | 2024-11-22 | Album |
| My Everything (Deluxe) | 2014-08-22 | Album |
| thank u, next | 2019-02-08 | Album |
| Brat and it’s completely different but also still brat | 2024-10-11 | Album |
| Dangerous Woman | 2016-04-01 | Album |
| Positions | 2020-10-30 | Album |
| Sweetener | 2018-08-17 | Album |
Top Tracks
- we can't be friends (wait for your love) (eternal sunshine)
- One Last Time (My Everything (Deluxe))
- 7 rings (thank u, next)
- the boy is mine (eternal sunshine)
- intro (end of the world) (eternal sunshine)
- we can't be friends (wait for your love)
- Into You (Dangerous Woman)
- Love Me Harder (My Everything (Deluxe))
- Defying Gravity (Wicked: The Soundtrack)
- Dangerous Woman (Dangerous Woman)
External Links
Tags: #contemporary-r&b, #dance-pop, #pop
References
Heard on WWOZ
ARIANA GRANDE has been played 1 time on WWOZ 90.7 FM, New Orleans' jazz and heritage station.
| Date | Time | Title | Show | Spotify |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 15, 2025 | 22:50 | SANTA TELL ME | Kitchen Sinkw/ Derrick Freeman |