As Arianators dig into ‘eternal sunshine deluxe: brighter days ahead,’ revisit 15 songs that display her ever-expanding versatility and vulnerability.
Before Ariana Grande became a chart-topping pop singer, she played an aspiring artist on Nickelodeon’s “Victorious.” Amid her character’s sitcom antics, Grande’s musical talent was strikingly apparent (as evidenced by her role in Broadway’s “13” two years prior to the 2010 debut of “Victorious”), and it wasn’t long before Grande was on her way to real-life superstardom.
In the 14 years since she first started releasing music, Grande has evolved into one of the most recognizable, best-selling and prolific pop stars of her era. Over the course of seven albums, the two-time GRAMMY winner has cultivated an instantly recognizable image, from her signature high ponytail to her unmatched ability to hit high notes with ease.
Grande has also shown immense growth from the soft-spoken (but big-voiced) hopeful that fans first met on screen in 2010. She’s experimented with genres and become more vulnerable in her songwriting, setting countless records along the way and carving out her place in the ranks of pop’s greats.
Last year further solidified all of this: in 2024, Grande not only landed her sixth No. 1 on the Billboard 200 with her seventh album, eternal sunshine, but also starred in the wildly popular film adaptation of the Broadway smash “Wicked.” As both projects showcased, Grande isn’t afraid to push her creative boundaries — and everything she does is unabashedly authentic.
