It was her turn as the sweet and bubbly Cat Valentine on television that first made Ariana Grande a star. But with a voice as big as her pretty, dimpled smile, the Florida native was destined to also pursue a career in her first love: music. Born in 1993, the singer-actress cut her teeth as a teen in a Broadway production of ’13.’ Her TV career took off in 2010 on Nickelodeon’s ‘Victorious’ and its successful spinoff ‘Sam & Cat.’ Her powerful, four-octave vocal range has often led to her being called the “New Mariah Carey,” but with her debut studio album, 2013’s pop-and-R&B-influenced ‘Yours Truly,’ she proved she was much more than just a mini Mimi. The album entered the charts at No. 1, and lead single ‘The Way’ featuring Mac Miller became her first double-platinum Top 10 hit.
Selected discography: ‘Yours Truly’ (2013), ‘The Way’ featuring Mac Miller (2013), ‘Christmas Kisses’ (2013)
Related artists: Justin Bieber, Mariah Carey, Jennette McCurdy
Further reading: Ariana Grande Shares Secrets About ‘Yours Truly’, Ariana Grande Covers Cosmo, Ariana Grande Without Makeup