Who is Ariana Grande?
Ariana Grande Butera is an American singer, actress and songwriter. She is an award winning pop star, famous for her songs “Thank U, Next,”“7 Rings,” “We Can’t Be Friends (Wait For Your Love),” and “Rain On Me” with Lady Gaga. She is well known for her extraordinary four-octave vocal range.
Early Life
Ariana Grande, born Ariana Grande Butera, was born on June 2, 1993. Ariana is from Boca Raton, Florida. Her father, Ed Butera, was a designer while her mother, Joan Grande, was a business woman.
Ariana began acting and singing at an early age, making her way into the local theater scene. In 2008, Ariana made her professional debut at just 15 years old. She landed the role of Charlotte in the musical 13 . This role led her to win a National Youth Theatre Association Award. Ariana Grande also appeared in the musical Cuba Libre, she also landed a role in the series The Battery’s Down, before beginning acting in Hollywood.
Nickelodeon Breakthrough
In 2010, Ariana Grande landed a big role on the Nickelodeon series Victorious, where she starred as cat Valentine. The series went on for four seasons, producing 57 episodes and abruptly ended in 2013.
After the abrupt end of Victorious, Ariana Grande landed a role in role as Cat in the spinoff show Sam & Cat (2013–2014), co-starring iCarly’s Jeanette McCurdy. Sam & Cat series ended in 2014 after one season.
Music Career
Ariana Grande was eager to pursue a music career. She recorded vocals for the Victorious soundtrack. Ariana began uploading cover songs to YouTube, capturing the attention of the president of Republic Records. In August 2011, Ariana was signed into the Republic Records label. In December 2011, Ariana Grande released her first single,“Put Your Hearts Up.” Ariana later began working with songwriters who better understood her style in music, changing the direction of her music.
In 2013, she released her debut studio album, Yours Truly. This album hit number 1 on the Billboard 200. The album received massive support from fans, making Ariana Grande the 15th female artist to top the chart with a debut album. Her lead single, “The Way” which featured the late rapper Mac Miller, was the record’s most popular song.
In August 2014, Ariana Grande released another album My Everything. This album also debuted at the top of the Billboard 200 chart. The album’s lead single, “Problem,” featuring rapper Iggy Azalea, got to number two spot on the Billboard Hot 100. My Everything became Grande’s first Grammy-nominated album.
In February 2015, Grande went on her first worldwide tour, “The Honeymoon Tour” which lasted from February to October. In October 2015, Ariana released the single “Focus“, a song which debuted at number seven on the Billboard Hot 100.
In March 2016, Ariana released “Dangerous Woman,” from her third studio album, “Dangerous Woman.” The single debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 at number ten. In May 2016, Grande released the album “Dangerous Woman.” Dangerous Woman earned Ariana a nomination for Grammy Award for Best Pop Vocal Album and title track for Best Pop Solo Performance.
Ariana Grande capitalized on her third album, embarking on a concert tour across Europe and North America in 2017.
On May 22 however, tragedy befell the pop star, when a homemade bomb was detonated at the Manchester Arena where the concert was being held. 22 deaths were reported from the Manchester Arena Bombing, while over a thousand people were injured. Ariana had to suspend her tour the following day, but came back 13 days later to perform a benefit concert for the bombing victims as well as the affected families. Grande’s tour returned on June 7, in Paris.
In August 2018, the pop star released her fourth studio album “Sweetener“. The album also debuted at number one on the Billboard 200. To promote the album, Ariana did four concerts dubbed “The Sweetener Sessions.” The concerts were held in New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago and London.
Thank U, Next , the album, was released in 2019. The title track Thank U, Next, debuting number one on Billboard Hot 100. The single became Ariana’s first chart-topping in the US, for Seven non-consecutive weeks at the top. The song also broke a record on YouTube, for being the most watched music video on YouTube within 24 hours of release. In April 2019, Ariana Grande headlined Coachella music festival.
In 2020, Ariana Grande added momentum to he career by releasing her sixth studio album “Positions.” Her vocal performance in the album was massively praised by her fans and critics. The album debuted at number one on the Billboard 200.
On March 8, 2024, Grande released her seventh studio album titled “Eternal Sunshine.” The album’s lead single, ” Yes, And?” debuted at number one on The Billboard Hot 100. The single also topped The Billboard Global 200 for two wees. Her tremendous work on the album earned her three Grammy nominations in 2025.
In May 2026, headlined the Eternal Sunshine Tour between June and September the same year. On 31 July 2026, Ariana released her eighth studio album “Petal” under Babydoll Music. The album’s lead single “Hate that I Made You Love Me” debuted atop at the Billboard Hot 100.
In late 2024, the first part of the film Wicked was released. This brought Ariana Grande more attention especially regarding her acting and singing skills. The film earned several nominations at big entertainment awards. Ariana herself was nominated for a Screen Actors Guild Award, a Golden Globe, a British Academy of Film and Television Arts Film Award and an Oscar for her role as Glinda. In 2025, Ariana returned in the film Wicked: For Good ,for her role as Glinda.