Who Is Ariana Grande?

By (author) Anderson, Kirsten; By (author) Who HQ; Illustrated by Copeland Gregory
Short description/annotation:
How did a teenage actress become a Grammy-winning pop star? Find out in this Who HQ Now biography about Ariana Grande and her exciting career that spans the Broadway stage, television, and music to blockbuster movies!
Description:
Ever since she was a child, Ariana Grande has been performing. When she was just fifteen years old, she made her Broadway debut in the musical 13. Shortly after, she appeared in the Nickelodeon TV show Victorious as the character Cat Valentine. During her time as a young actress, Ariana began her career in pop music. She released her first album when she was twenty years old and has gone on to release five more albums since. Ariana won her first Grammy Award in 2019 and her second in 2021. She has also won two Billboard Music Awards and three American Music Awards. Worldwide, Ariana has sold over 90 million records and earned over 98 billion streams. In 2024, she will star as Glinda in the blockbuster movie musical Wicked.
Biographical note:
Kirsten Anderson is a writer and actress who lives in New York City with her charming Pomeranian, Sunflower. She has written several biographies for children, including Who Is Zendaya?,Who Is Kamala Harris?, and Who Is Harry Styles?
Excerpt:
Who Is Ariana Grande?
  
It’s always busy backstage at a Broadway musical, especially after the show. Actors rush to get out of their costumes and makeup. The stage crew works on getting all the sets and props ready for the next show.

To add to the backstage buzz, there might be visitors. Maybe they are friends or family of the cast and crew. Others might be famous actors, musicians, or politicians who want to see the new performance. Sometimes there are even lucky fans of the show excited to meet the many people who make the musical so great.

One night in 2003, Kristin Chenoweth, who starred as Glinda in the new hit show Wicked, was asked to meet a fan who had won a contest to come backstage. The small ten-year-old girl with dark curly hair was there with her grandmother. When they met, the excited girl told Kristin, “I want to be you.”

Chenoweth smiled. She had heard that from many young fans. But it takes a lot of hard work, patience, and talent to make it on Broadway.

Then, the girl’s grandmother told her to sing. Without hesitation, the young fan broke out into “Popular,” one of Glinda’s songs. Kristin couldn’t believe what she was hearing. The child’s voice was strong and she hit every note easily. Impressed, the star gave the girl a wand from the show and took a picture with her.

That backstage visitor was named Ariana Grande.

In a few short years, she would be on Broadway herself. Soon after that, she would be a TV star. Then, she would launch one of the most successful pop music careers of her era. And around twenty years after that backstage visit, Ariana would get to live out the dream of a lifetime—starring in the movie version of Wicked as Glinda . . . the same role that she had seen Kristin Chenoweth perform years before.

Ariana Grande would have tragedies as well as triumphs along the way to completing the full circle from that moment backstage at Wicked. But before any of that happened, she was just a girl in Florida who loved to sing along with the radio in her mom’s car.
 
Chapter 1
Broadway Bound
  
Ariana Grande--Butera was born on June 26, 1993, in Boca Raton, Florida. Her mother, Joan Grande, ran a communications technology company. Her father, Ed Butera, was a graphic designer. She has an older half -brother, Frankie.

Ariana grew up loving horror movies and scary things, just like her mom. They dressed up in creepy costumes and makeup even when it wa