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Ariana Grande is one of the world’s biggest pop stars. Her latest album, Thank U, Next, was a critical and commercial success, and tonight, she will perform at the iHeartRadio Music Awards. Grande’s fame has led many to look into her personal life, and whether or not she has any siblings.
As it turns out, Grande is not the only member of her family with talent. Her brother Frankie is a dance choreographer, and her father Edward Butera is a photographer and artist. Learn more about them and the rest of Grande’s family below.
1. Her Brother Frankie Grande Is a Dancer & Singer
Grande’s older brother Frankie is a multi-faceted entertainer. He is a dancer, a singer, a producer, and a director. He’s best known for starring in Broadway productions of Rock of Ages and Mamma Mia! and was also a judge on the 2015 season of America’s Best Dance Crew. Frankie is openly gay, and has stated his intent to be an inspiration for the LGBTQ community.
“If you happen to be in an environment where people are not accepting of who you are, you just need to know that’s not always the way it will be,” he told Seventeen Magazine. “You’ll find your chosen family and, in the meantime, come join us and celebrate with your LGBTQ fam online, join us on Instagram, tweet us, go on YouTube. There are so many venues for people who may be isolated from the LGBTQ+ community to find each other, and I encourage you all to reach out if you are not with people you want to be with.”
Frankie also has a large following on YouTube. His channel has over subscribers, and his fans are collectively known as “Frankiesteins.” According to the Ariana Grande Wikia, Frankie also invented the catchphrases “GoGrandeOrGoHome” and “ShineBrightLikeAFrankie.”
2. Her Mother Joan Grande Is a CEO for a Manufacturing Company
Joan is the chief executive officer for Hose-McCann Communications. Grande explained her mother’s profession to Complex in 2013, stating: “My mom is a CEO and owns a company that manufactures communications equipment for the Marines and the Navy, so she’s not really the housewife type, if you get what I’m saying. She’s the most badass, independent woman you’ll ever meet—not the cookies-in-the-oven type.”]
Joan gave birth to Frankie on January 24, 1983. Frankie’s father Victor Marchione was Joan’s boyfriend at the time, but their relationship ended a few years later. Joan went on to marry Edward Butera in 1992 and they moved from Manhattan to Boca Raton, where they gave birth to Grande. Joan and Edward lived together until their divorce a decade later.
In an interview with Elle Magazine, Joan said that her daughter was fascinated with horror movies from a young age. She recalls throwing a Jaws-themed birthday party for Grande when she turned four. “Most of the kids were running, screaming, because I had Jaws playing on a huge screen,” she said. “The parents were like, ‘Are you crazy? Our kids don’t watch that!’ But it was [Ariana’s] favorite movie. I did the house up in things that would give normal children nightmares. For example: “I would go to the butcher, get heart organs or lungs, and then be like, ‘Ariana, Frankie, this is a heart.’”
3. Her Father Edward Butera Is a Graphic Designer & Photographer
Edward Butera is a graphic designer, photographer, and artist. He was close to his daughter when she was little, but Grande admits that they lost touch as she became famous. “Falling out of touch with my dad [was the toughest thing I’ve ever dealt with],” she told Seventeen Magazine in 2014. “It’s private, but it happened last year. It took me so long to be okay with it.”
“The thing that got me there was embracing the fact that that I am made up of half my dad, and a lot of my traits come from him,” she continued. “So much of me comes from my father, and for so long, I didn’t like that about myself. I had to accept that it’s okay not to get along with somebody and still love them.”
“It’s tough to spend some of the most important years of your life in front of so many strangers who want to pick you apart,” Grande admitted. “Insecurity has been the hardest thing I’ve had to overcome. I think everyone my age struggles with that because everyone strives for approval and wants to feel loved.” Edward and Grande have since reconciled, and Edward regularly talks about his daughter’s career on Twitter.
4. Her Grandparents Frank & Marjorie Were Said to Be Her ‘Biggest Fans’
Grande’s grandparents Frank and Marjorie were married on September 21, 1946. Frank, who went by Grandpa Grande on Twitter, regularly posted about Grande’s success and praised her singing talent. “Getting very excited for my granddaughters music video. I’m sure you all will love it,” he wrote in February 2013. His last tweet, posted in March of that year, read: “So happy and excited for you all to hear The Way by my beautiful granddaughter. You will love it. I’m positive!”
Frank Grande died on July 22, 2014. He was 90. Grande released a written tribute to him on Twitter. “Thank you for your continuous love and light over the past few weeks. We did lose my favorite person to ever exist yesterday, my grandpa,” she wrote. “If only y’all knew how amazing he was. My heart hurts so much. It’s beyond broken, but I got to hold his hand and watch him find his peace. This is the hardest thing imaginable but I’m so grateful that I got to spend this time with him and my family, taking care of him and loving him. We thank you so much for the continuous love.”
Grande has a tattoo that reads “bellissima”, which refers to the nickname her grandfather gave her. She also included audio of Frank and Marjorie talking about how they fell in love at the end of the song “Daydreamin’.” Marjorie is 93 and currently lives in Boca Raton, Florida.
5. She Was Briefly Engaged to ‘SNL’ Comedian Pete Davidson
Grande briefly entertained the notion of starting a family with SNL comedian Pete Davidson. The couple announced their engagement after a few weeks of dating in 2018, and in June, they moved into a Manhattan apartment together. “She’s really sweet. She’s like, ‘This is our house,’ and I’m like, ‘You’re very nice for saying that. Thank you for letting me stay here,'” Davidson jokingly told GQ. “She’s like, ‘We’re getting married!’ And I’m like, ‘I know, thank you for letting me stay here.'”
“It’s like, we have six bean bags, but we have no forks — you know what I mean?” he added. “We’re learning how to be adults. We’re having a really fun time.” Grande paid tribute to her fiance with the song “Pete Davidson” off her album Sweetener. In the song, she calls him her “soulmate.” The couple announced their split on October 14. Davidson was among the exes that Grande mentioned on her hit single “Thank U, Next.”
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