There’s no doubt that Ariana Grande has become a household name across the United States. She’s the female artist with the most No. 1 debuts on the Billboard Hot 100 and the only artist to debut her first six lead singles in the Top 10 for a reason: Grande is a musical force within her industry. Especially in light of her three recent Grammy nominations, 28-year-old Grande is making a pivotal transition in her career as she attempts to transcend from the pop obsession she’s been for nearly the past decade into a long-lasting icon.
First arriving on the music scene in 2013, Grande surprised audiences with her effortless transition from Nickelodeon actress to pop craze. “The Way,” Grande’s first single off her debut album “Yours Truly” (2013), paved a path forward for herself that would only continue to build throughout her career. Arriving on the Billboard Hot 100’s Top 10 in its first week,Grande impressed American audiences with her unique vocal abilities, often compared to those of Mariah Carey. With a comparison to an icon such as Carey, Grande was certain to draw attention, and her fanbase only continued to grow thereafter.
By the time Grande reached her fifth studio album, “thank u, next” (2019), she released her first two U.S. chart-toppers, “thank u, next” and “7 rings,” both debuting at the summit. From there, she’d continue releasing chart toppers up to her most recent album “Positions” (2020). Grande now holds the record for most No. 1 debuts on the Hot 100 only nine years into her career. With two Grammy awards under her belt and six RIAA-certified platinum records,Grande no longer needs to prove her success, as her audience is prevalent across the U.S.
She only continues to break her own records to set new ones. With this comes a point in an artist’s career that defines their legacy status. This can be seen with musicians such as Taylor Swift, who debuted in 2006 and is still topping the charts and earning Grammy nominations despite being in the public eye for roughly half of her lifetime. Similarly, Mariah Carey topped the Hot 100 in January of this year with her timeless classic “All I Want for Christmas is You,” her nineteenth No. 1 hit. Grande, like these stars, has evolved past the point of building herself up in the mainstream. Now, she’s cementing her status in the music industry as she embarks on the next chapter of her career.
In October 2020,Grande released her sixth studio album “Positions,” which sat atop the Billboard 200 for two weeks upon release. With the lead single title track also hitting No. 1, Grande proved she has what it takes to outlast the flash-in-the-pan artists who circulate in the mainstream for a shorter period of time. Her albums have dealt with topics of self-love, depression, breakups and reconciliation — all to highlight her versatility as a songwriter. Grande has written progressively more tracks as her career has advanced, a sign of maturation and growth within her niche. With a knack for song production, Grande has also been open about her love for vocal layering and work behind the scenes on her tracks. While other artists lack this ability due to inexperience or a controlling label, Grande demonstrates a high level of autonomy in her craft.
With this in mind, much of the same success will encompass Grande’s next chapter. She will undoubtedly continue to grow her list of No. 1 songs and albums, and she is likely able to rack up a greater quantity of nominations and awards. Her relevancy in the mainstream has remained constant, showing that she has paid her dues to earn acclaimed status.
As Grande outgrows the hype surrounding her early career, she has the ability to reach a new level. Awards and honors dealing with decade-long and career-long success are on the horizon for Grande.She has the highest number of streams on Spotify for any female artist, due in part to her universal popularity and devoted fanbase. Grande has yet to earn significant career awards, and such success less than a decade into her career goes to show how her current titles are only the tip of the iceberg for what’s to come for the superstar.
Grande said it best in “7 rings”: “I see it, I like it, I want it, I got it,” because what she’s got is a career full of highlights, achievements, records and acclaim. As audiences watch Grande take that step from current star to timeless icon, she’ll inevitably execute the process flawlessly as indicated by her already superb track record in the music industry.
