Ariana Grande Biography: Age, Real Name, Career, Albums, Movies & Latest News
Who Is Ariana Grande? Biography, Age, Real Name, Career, Music, Movies & Latest News
Ariana Grande is an American singer, songwriter and actress who started as a Nickelodeon sitcom star and became one of the most commercially successful pop artists of her generation. She has released eight studio albums, won three Grammy Awards, earned an Oscar nomination for playing Glinda in the Wicked films, and built a beauty business along the way. In 2026 she released a new album, wrapped a major tour, announced a step back from public visibility, and lined up a new film for the holiday season, so the past few months have given readers plenty to look up.
This biography covers her background, how she got her start, her music and screen work, her honors, her publicly documented personal life, and the latest confirmed news as of October 29, 2026.
What Is Ariana Grande’s Real Name?
Ariana Grande works under her birth name. Her full name is Ariana Grande-Butera, which reflects both her mother’s surname and her father’s. She has used the shorter Grande professionally since the start of her career.
How Old Is Ariana Grande?
She was born on June 26, 1993, which makes her 33 years old as of this article.
Where Is Ariana Grande From?
Grande was born in Boca Raton, Florida, and grew up in the surrounding South Florida area. She is American, with Italian heritage on both sides of her family, something she has referenced in her music and public persona over the years.
Ariana Grande’s Early Life and Family
Her parents are Joan Grande and Edward Butera, and she has an older half-brother, Frankie Grande, who became a performer and television personality in his own right. She grew up in a family that supported her interest in singing, and she began performing in local children’s theater productions in South Florida, where she was known from a young age for an unusually powerful voice.
She attended a performing arts program in Florida before leaving to chase professional opportunities, and she has said in interviews that she knew early on that she wanted to perform for a living. Details of her schooling are limited in reliable public records, so this article sticks to what she has described herself.
How Did Ariana Grande Start Her Career?
Her first professional break came on Broadway. In 2008, at age 15, she appeared in the musical 13, a coming-of-age show with a cast of teenage performers, in which she played Charlotte. It was a modest role, but it brought her to the attention of casting directors and gave her real stage experience.
That led to television. In 2010, she landed the role of Cat Valentine on Nickelodeon’s Victorious, a sitcom set at a performing arts high school. Cat, a sweet and scatterbrained character, gave Grande a national audience of young viewers and a platform to show both her comic timing and her vocal range. She reprised the character in the spin-off Sam & Cat, which ran from 2013 to 2014 opposite Jennette McCurdy.
Ariana Grande’s Breakthrough in Music
While still on Nickelodeon, Grande signed with Republic Records and began working on her debut album. Yours Truly was released in 2013 and debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, led by the single “The Way,” which featured rapper Mac Miller. The album drew comparisons to Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston for her vocal control, and it marked her move from child television star to pop artist.
She followed it with My Everything in 2014, which produced several major hits, and Dangerous Woman in 2016, which pushed her toward a more mature, R&B-influenced sound.
The Manchester Attack and One Love Manchester
A defining moment in her career came on May 22, 2017, when a suicide bombing at her concert at Manchester Arena in England killed 22 people and injured many more. Grande suspended her tour in the aftermath. On June 4, 2017, she returned to Manchester to headline a benefit concert, One Love Manchester, which raised money for victims and families and drew other major artists. The event was widely credited as a moment of solidarity, and it reshaped how many people saw her, as a performer who had stepped up for her fans.
Sweetener, Thank U, Next and Peak Chart Success
Her next albums made her one of the biggest names in pop. Sweetener (2018) won her the Grammy Award for Best Pop Vocal Album. Thank U, Next followed in early 2019, driven by the title track, which became her first single to debut at number one on the Billboard Hot 100, and by “7 Rings.” In 2019, she held the top three spots on the Hot 100 at the same time, a feat previously achieved only by The Beatles.
In 2020, she released Positions, and her collaboration with Lady Gaga, “Rain on Me,” won the Grammy for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance. In 2021, she served as a coach on The Voice and launched R.E.M. Beauty, her makeup brand.
Eternal Sunshine and Petal
Grande’s seventh studio album, Eternal Sunshine, was released on March 8, 2024. It was widely discussed for its lyrical content, which many listeners tied to her personal life, though she has not confirmed specific references. The album was followed by a deluxe edition, Eternal Sunshine Deluxe: Brighter Days Ahead, which came with a short film in 2025.
Her eighth album, Petal, arrived on July 31, 2026, through Republic Records. It was her first full album since Eternal Sunshine and was made with longtime collaborator Ilya Salmanzadeh. It was announced on Instagram in April 2026.
The Eternal Sunshine Tour
Grande took the Eternal Sunshine material on the road in a 2026 tour that ended in early September. She told one interviewer in late 2025 that the tour might be her last for a long time, since she wanted to focus on projects such as films, theater and select music releases, and she described the trek as a smaller, more intimate undertaking than her earlier arena runs.
Ariana Grande’s Acting Career
Grande’s acting has run alongside her music from the beginning. After Victorious and Sam & Cat, she took a comic turn as Chanel #2 in the Fox horror-comedy series Scream Queens in 2015, and she played Penny Pingleton in NBC’s live broadcast of Hairspray Live! in 2016. In 2021, she appeared in the Netflix satire Don’t Look Up, playing a pop star named Riley Bina.
Ariana Grande in Wicked
Her most significant screen role to date is Glinda in the Wicked films, directed by Jon M. Chu. The first film was released on November 22, 2024, and the second, Wicked: For Good, followed on November 21, 2025. She starred opposite Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba, and the cast included Jonathan Bailey, Ethan Slater, Michelle Yeoh, Jeff Goldblum and Marissa Bode.
The first film earned her an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress, her first Oscar nomination. She also received Golden Globe, BAFTA, SAG and Critics’ Choice nominations for the role. Wicked: For Good received no nominations at the 2026 Academy Awards.
Ariana Grande’s Awards and Achievements
Grande has won three Grammy Awards. The first was for Sweetener (Best Pop Vocal Album, 2019), the second for “Rain on Me” with Lady Gaga (Best Pop Duo/Group Performance, 2021), and the third at the 2026 ceremony for “Defying Gravity” with Cynthia Erivo, in the same duo and group category. She has received a long list of other honors across music and film, including an Oscar nomination for Wicked, and she has more than a decade of chart records behind her.
Ariana Grande’s Business Ventures
Outside music and film, Grande’s most visible business is R.E.M. Beauty, the makeup line she launched in 2021. She also has fragrance releases and fashion partnerships. In July 2024, Swarovski named her a global brand ambassador, a partnership that has continued with several campaigns since.
Ariana Grande’s Personal Life and Family
Grande has been public about some of her relationships and private about others. In May 2021, she married real estate agent Dalton Gomez in a small ceremony. They separated in early 2023, and the divorce was finalized later that year. She then began a relationship with her Wicked co-star Ethan Slater, which became public in mid-2023 and lasted about three years. Reports in June 2026 said the two had ended the relationship, with sources describing the split as amicable.
Within weeks, Grande was seen with Ricky Alvarez, a dancer who had performed on her 2015 tour and with whom she had a relationship around 2015 and 2016. She made the reconciliation official on Instagram in August 2026, according to entertainment reporting from that time. In October 2026, she was also reported to have lost her dog Coco, a pet she had for 17 years, a loss she marked publicly.
Ariana Grande’s Current Projects
The most immediate project is Focker-In-Law, the next installment of the Meet the Parents comedy franchise, which is scheduled to open in theaters around Thanksgiving 2026. Grande appears in the film, and a new trailer in early October drew renewed attention. She is also continuing work with her beauty brand and with Swarovski.
Ariana Grande’s Latest News
Several confirmed developments have followed each other quickly. In early August 2026, a representative said that Grande would step back from visibility once the Eternal Sunshine tour wrapped, citing ongoing public scrutiny of her health and appearance. The announcement came as she was also leaving the cast of a planned West End revival of Stephen Sondheim’s Sunday in the Park with George. During a tour stop in Chicago on August 3, she told the crowd that the break had been planned long before and that it was not a reaction to negativity.
In October, reports indicated that she would still do promotion for Focker-In-Law and her brands. On October 27, Swarovski unveiled a holiday campaign, JOY: The Swarovski Musical, in which Grande appears in a one-minute video inspired by classic Hollywood musicals, with a white suit and top hat, a dollhouse scene and a ballet sequence. She also earned several nominations at the 2026 Kids’ Choice Awards, announced on October 8.
Frequently Asked Questions About Ariana Grande
What is Ariana Grande’s real name?
Her full name is Ariana Grande-Butera. She uses Ariana Grande professionally.
How old is Ariana Grande?
She is 33. She was born on June 26, 1993.
Where is Ariana Grande from?
She was born in Boca Raton, Florida.
What is Ariana Grande best known for?
She is best known for her pop hits, including “thank u, next,” “7 rings” and “Rain on Me,” and for playing Glinda in the Wicked films.
Has Ariana Grande won an Oscar?
No. She received a Best Supporting Actress nomination for the first Wicked film but has not won.
How many Grammys does Ariana Grande have?
Three, for Sweetener, “Rain on Me” and “Defying Gravity.”
What was Ariana Grande’s first TV role?
She played Cat Valentine on Nickelodeon’s Victorious, after appearing on Broadway in 13.
Is Ariana Grande married?
No. She was married to Dalton Gomez from 2021, and the two divorced in 2023. She is reported to be in a relationship with Ricky Alvarez.
What is Ariana Grande’s latest album?
Petal, released on July 31, 2026.
What is Ariana Grande’s next movie?
Focker-In-Law, due in theaters around Thanksgiving 2026.
Daniel Brooks is a biography writer and storyteller passionate about exploring the lives of influential people around the world. From celebrities and successful entrepreneurs to renowned leaders and rising stars, he shares their life stories, family backgrounds, career journeys, achievements, and challenges. His mission is to provide readers with engaging, informative, and inspiring biographies that reveal the people behind the fame and success.
