Ariana Grande

**Ariana Grande-Butera** (born June 26, 1993), known professionally as **Ariana Grande,** is an American singer and actress. She began her career in the musical , before landing the role of on the television series in 2009. The show ended after four seasons, and Grande starred on the which ended in 2014. She has also appeared in other theatre, television and film roles, and has lent her voice to animated television and films.

Grande's music career began with the (2011). She signed a recording contract with and released her debut studio album, in 2013, which debuted at No. 1 on the US . The album's lead single, debuted in the top 10 of the , with critics comparing her wide vocal range to 's range

Grande's second studio album, (2014), debuted at No. 1 in the US and charted in the top 10 in various other countries. With the singles and from that album, she spent 34 continuous weeks in the top 10 of the *Billboard* Hot 100 and had the most top 10 singles of any artist in 2014. In 2015, Grande promoted *My Everything* with her first world tour, , and guest-starred in the television series, . She also released the single "", which debuted at No. 7 in the US, and a holiday album, , and she was heard on several collaborative projects. In 2016, she released her third studio album, , as well as several songs from the album. debuted at No. 10 on the *Billboard* Hot 100, making Grande the first person in the history of that chart to have the lead single from each of her first three albums debut in the top 10. The album debuted at No. 2 on the *Billboard* 200. As of October 2016, Grande's music videos had been viewed a total of more than 6 billion times online.

### 1993–2008: Early life and career beginnings

Ariana Grande-Butera was born in , the daughter of Joan Grande, the chief executive officer of Hose-McCann Communications, a telephone and alarm system company, and Edward Butera, a graphic design firm owner in Boca Raton. Her name was originally inspired by Princess Oriana from (1959). Grande is of Italian descent. She has an older half-brother, , who is an actor, dancer and producer, and she is close with her maternal grandmother, Marjorie Grande. Grande's family moved from New York to Florida when her mother was pregnant with Grande, and her parents separated when she was around 8 or 9 years old.

As a child, Grande performed with the Children's Theater, playing her first role as , as well as performing in the musicals, and . At the age of 8, she performed at a karaoke lounge on a cruise ship and with various orchestras such as South Florida's Philharmonic, Florida Sunshine Pops and Symphonic Orchestras, and she made her national television debut singing "" for the . She attended and .

### 2009–2012: Breakthrough with *Victorious*

Grande auditioned for the television show in New York along with *13* co-star in 2009. In this set in a high school, Grande was cast as . Grande had to dye her hair red every other week for the role because the , , did not want all cast members to be brunettes, and the red hair was also a feature that the network felt would fit the personality of Cat. The show premiered in March 2010 to the second largest audience for a live-action series in Nickelodeon history with 5.7 million viewers. The role helped propel Grande to status, but she was more interested in a music career stating that acting is "fun, but music has always been first and foremost with me." Her character was compared to "'s performance as the hapless Tai in " (1995) and described as being "very impressionable and easily swayed" but "generally sweet." Season two premiered in April 2011 to 6.2 million viewers, becoming the highest rated episode of *Victorious*.

### 2009–2012: Breakthrough with *Victorious*

Grande performing with the cast, May 2011

Grande auditioned for the television show in New York along with *13* co-star in 2009. In this set in a high school, Grande was cast as . Grande had to dye her hair red every other week for the role because the , , did not want all cast members to be brunettes, and the red hair was also a feature that the network felt would fit the personality of Cat. The show premiered in March 2010 to the second largest audience for a live-action series in Nickelodeon history with 5.7 million viewers. The role helped propel Grande to status, but she was more interested in a music career stating that acting is "fun, but music has always been first and foremost with me." Her character was compared to "'s performance as the hapless Tai in " (1995) and described as being "very impressionable and easily swayed" but "generally sweet." Season two premiered in April 2011 to 6.2 million viewers, becoming the highest rated episode of *Victorious*.

### 2009–2012: Breakthrough with *Victorious*

Grande performing with the cast, May 2011

Grande auditioned for the television show in New York along with *13* co-star in 2009. In this set in a high school, Grande was cast as . Grande had to dye her hair red every other week for the role because the , , did not want all cast members to be brunettes, and the red hair was also a feature that the network felt would fit the personality of Cat. The show premiered in March 2010 to the second largest audience for a live-action series in Nickelodeon history with 5.7 million viewers. The role helped propel Grande to status, but she was more interested in a music career stating that acting is "fun, but music has always been first and foremost with me." Her character was compared to "'s performance as the hapless Tai in " (1995) and described as being "very impressionable and easily swayed" but "generally sweet." Season two premiered in April 2011 to 6.2 million viewers, becoming the highest rated episode of *Victorious*.

## music videos

**songs by Ariana Grande**

love me harder

One last time

problem

Dangerous women

The way

Break free

Into you

Moonlight

Honeymoon Avenue

Baby I

Right there

Tattooed Heart

Best Mistake

Piano

Almost is never enough

Why try

Put your hearts up

Be my baby

Daydreamin

Yours truly

My everything

Christmas kisses

Christmas and Chill

Focus