Did you know that talent just seems to run in Ariana Grande’s family? She is not the only singer and performer in the household! Ariana’s brother, Frankie, is also a big star on Broadway. It seems like they were both just destined to be famous! Although they do not get to spend a lot of time together these days, they are both still super close and like to hang out at any chance they get. Although they both spend a lot of time in the spotlight, there is still so much that goes on behind the scenes in their lives that they do not always talk about when the cameras are running and the mics are recording!
Ariana and Frankie did not really have conventional childhoods. After all, they both knew that they wanted something more out of life from a very young age. They were both always quite artistic and had a true love of all things musical. While they ended up going down slightly different paths, it’s clear that their parents fostered their love of music from day one, and it has certainly paid off! Here are 20 lesser-known facts about Ariana and Frankie’s childhood, and their lives today.
20 Frankie Taught Ariana How To Do Her Makeup
Everyone knows that Ariana has incredible style. There’s no denying that. From her bows to her iconic high ponytail to her tight pants with adorable baggy sweaters, she just looks like a queen no matter what. And while we’re praising her amazing sense of fashion, we can’t forget her incredible makeup. Her looks are always on point. So, where did she learn these skills? Who taught her? Well, surprisingly, that would be her big brother Frankie!
According to Billboard, Frankie admits that he LOVED playing dress up and messing around with his mom’s makeup as a kid!
We’ve got no problem with that. Hey, if a guy wants to wear makeup, why not, right? There’s no harm in it. Anyway, Frankie got into makeup as a kid, and naturally, Ariana wanted to try it out too. So Frankie and his theater friends took it upon himself to teach her! Maybe one reason they have always gotten along so well is that Frankie wasn’t into a lot of typical “guy” stuff. He would much rather sing, dance, and dress up with Ariana than run around playing sports or anything like that. Basically, Ariana has Frankie to thank for her awesome makeup skills!
19 Ariana And Frankie Were Always Super Close With Their Grandparents
It’s no secret that Ariana just loves her grandma. In fact, during one of her first TV interviews since last summer on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, she talked about listening to her new upcoming album with her grandma. Ariana and Frankie have both always been close with their grandma. According to US Magazine, Frankie and Ariana were also always very close with their grandpa too, who sadly passed away just a few years ago. Frankie says that he considers himself so lucky to be in the company of so many amazing women throughout his life. He credits his mother, his grandmother, and his sister for helping him become a better person over the years.
Ariana and Frankie also miss their grandpa very much. Billboard reported that Ariana’s grandpa was a huge fan of the song “Somewhere Over the Rainbow,” and this is why she chose to play it to close out her benefit concert in Manchester last summer. She says that it truly felt like her grandpa was watching over her and keeping her company in that moment! It’s clear that Ariana and Frankie’s grandparents have been a huge positive influence in both of their lives.
18 Ariana Never Actually Wanted To Be An Actor—That Was Always Frankie’s Dream
Because Ariana really rose to fame with her role on Victorious as Cat Valentine, many people assume that she always wanted to be an actress and that a music career was actually just something that she sort of fell into. But the truth is, according to Ariana, that this was never the case. Cheat Sheet reports that when Ariana was a teenager, she knew that she wanted to be a singer, while Frankie, on the other hand, was the one who wanted to be an actor.
However, when she first arrived in Los Angeles to meet with her managers, they told her that she did not have a shot at getting a recording contract. They thought that she was just too young and inexperienced.
Therefore, Ariana did what she had to do. She continues to take on acting roles to gain name recognition and get her face out there, and she planned to somehow use her new connections in the entertainment industry to someday record an album. Well, as you can see, her plan clearly worked. She is now one of the biggest stars on the planet. And on top of that, Frankie also achieved his dream of becoming an actor on Broadway!
17 Their Parents Got Divorced When They Were Kids
According to an interview with Seventeen, Ariana and Frankie both had to deal with the effects of their parent’s divorce when they were growing up. The fact of the matter is, divorce is never an easy thing to deal with. It doesn’t matter how talented or famous you are, or how much money you have. Sometimes, it is genuinely the best decision for two people to go their separate ways, but this doesn’t heal the pain right away. While Ariana and Frankie have both remained very close with their mother, as we mentioned earlier, their relationship with their father is actually not so good.
Ariana says that her parents got divorced when she was around eight or nine. Sadly, this was the second time that Frankie had to deal with his parents splitting up. This is because Frankie is actually Ariana’s half-brother, and their mother left his father when he was a child. Ariana says that even as the two of them got older, being caught in the middle of things never really got easier. Sadly, as the years went by, Ariana decided that it was best for her to stop contacting her father. She says it was not an easy decision.
16 They Grew Up In Boca Raton, Florida
According to Palm Beach Post, Ariana and Frankie grew up in Boca Raton, Florida. This is a super nice neighborhood with gorgeous houses, lots of great shopping, and, of course, plenty of sunny days all year round. In fact, some people there say that they still remember Ariana from when she would perform in local plays and musicals as a child. Apparently even as a kid, she had an absolutely amazing voice. And yes, they were already saying that she sounded like a mini-Mariah Carey! It really seems like that comparison will never go away, but it’s such a huge compliment to Ariana that it looks like she no longer minds.
According to Girl2Watch, Ariana and her family moved to New York City before she started middle school because she was finally cast in a role on Broadway.
This was her first big professional role in a major musical. She played a cheerleader in the musical 13. Once she moved to New York, they were pretty much out of Boca Raton for good. However, Ariana did admit that she missed it sometimes and that she had always loved her hometown. She says that she definitely missed going to the beach!
15 Ariana Used To Dance Around Her Room To Missy Elliot And Dream Of Singing With Her
Ariana is a huge fan of Missy Elliot. But then again, who isn’t? Ariana definitely is not alone in this. But even though most of us have danced to Missy’s music before, we probably won’t get to perform with her any time soon. We’re not on that level! According to a new interview with FADER, Ariana says that growing up, she always loved Missy Elliot’s music. She says that as a kid, she would dance around her room to Missy’s songs and dream about what it would be like to record an album of her own one day. Hmmm, looks like dreams really do come true!
Even as a little girl, Ariana said that she wanted to sing a song with Missy Elliot one day. And you want to hear the crazy part? That wish has become reality. Ariana dropped some details about her upcoming album in that interview and revealed that she had achieved a lifelong goal of hers: recording a track with Missy Elliot! Ariana is over the moon about this track, and she can’t wait for her fans to hear it. She said that she has daydreamed about doing a collaboration like this for years and years.
14 Frankie Also Grew Up With Dreams Of Performing
By now, all of Ariana’s fans know that she always wanted to be a singer. She was destined for the spotlight from a young age. That much was obvious. But Frankie shared a similar vision for his own future.
According to an interview with Playbill, Frankie became obsessed with Broadway, musicals, and all things theater and acting related as a kid. From the time he was little, he knew what his goal was.
This is why it pays to start working towards your dreams early, even if other people don’t always understand. Getting a head start certainly never hurts, and if you need proof, just look at how far the Grande siblings have gotten after going after their goals as little kids!
Frankie is definitely happy with the path that his life has taken. He said that as a kid, he would always collect Playbills from every single show that he went to and save them. He said that the first time he was cast in a show and actually saw his name in a Playbill, it was one of the best moments of his life, and he was totally speechless! This is why everyone should reach for their wildest dreams!
13 Gloria Estefan Saw Ariana Sing On A Cruise Ship When She Was Only Eight
Remember how earlier, we mentioned that it was obvious to everyone around Ariana that she has always been super talented? Seriously, it’s like this girl was just born with a gift. But it wasn’t just her parents, brother, and teachers who saw her skills for what they were before she even made it to middle school. Nope, there was one celeb who gets to take credit for discovering her, and that is none other than Gloria Estefan herself! According to Entertainment Tonight, Gloria has been a fan of Ariana since she was about eight years old! Even the most dedicated Ariana fans can’t really say that.
So, where did Gloria come across Ariana? Well, Ariana was performing on a cruise ship as a child, and Gloria happened to be on that very same cruise ship.
What a crazy coincidence! Gloria caught Ariana’s performance, and she went up to Ariana’s mother and told her that she should definitely encourage Ariana to be a singer. She said that she could already see just how talented Ariana was, and there was no doubt in Gloria’s mind that singing was basically Ariana’s destiny. Sounds dramatic, but hey, turns out that Gloria was absolutely right!
12 As A Child, Their Parents Thought Frankie Would Be The Star Of The Family
Now, as we’ve already mentioned a few times, Ariana showed a lot of promise as a very little kid. Many people around her thought that she had the potential to go on to bigger and better things as she grew up. However, Ariana admitted to Billboard that actually, Frankie was usually seen as the “star” of the family when they were both growing up! It’s funny that today, Ariana is definitely the more famous of the two siblings (although Frankie does have quite a large following in the theater world). You might think that since Ariana also wanted to be a star, she would feel a little jealous of Frankie growing up. However, she says that this was not the case at all.
Ariana said that since she really looked up to Frankie as a kid, she didn’t mind seeing him get a little more of the attention. She says that Frankie basically kept her entertained because he liked to perform so much! It seems like Ariana learned a lot from watching her older brother as she grew up, and it’s so cute. As we said earlier, he definitely helped her out a lot in the makeup and fashion department!
11 Frankie Came Out When Ariana Was A Teenager, And She Totally Supports Him
If you’re already a fan of Frankie, you probably already know that he came out of the closet years ago. For many young people who realize that they fall under the LGBT umbrella in some way, telling their friends and family is a stressful process. However, the good news is that people today are much more accepting than they used to be. After all, we should all be able to live our lives in a way that makes us happy.
According to Harper’s Bazaar, Ariana didn’t make a big deal out of it when Frankie came out to her.
He admitted that he had been hiding who he truly was throughout his time in high school because he was scared of being judged, but eventually, he knew that he just had to be honest with his family. So finally, he told Ariana that he actually preferred guys to girls. Ariana was not even phased by it! As Frankie tells it, she simply asked when she would get to meet his boyfriend! Both siblings laugh when they tell this story in interviews. It just goes to show that both of them are very open-minded and accepting of all people, no matter what.
10 Ariana Decided To “Find Her Own Religion” When She Was 12
As we just discussed, Frankie came out to Ariana when she was fairly young: according to Harper’s Bazaar, she was about eleven when he told her the big news. After Frankie open up to her about his feelings, she realized that she had some thinking to do. After all, the religion she had been raised in wasn’t super accepting of Frankie and people like him. This left Ariana with a big dilemma: she definitely cared about her beliefs, but she knew that she loved her brother more than anything and that there was nothing wrong with him. She loved him just as he was. He was the same Frankie, no matter who he fell in love with.
According to Billboard, this is why Ariana decided to find a new religion the following year. Now, she says that she follows the teachings found in the Kabbalah. To be honest, it’s a fairly complex belief system, so, unfortunately, we don’t have the time or space to get into all the details. But the main message of the Kabbalah is all about recognizing that we are all connected, loving each other, and celebrating all of the beauty to be found in the universe.
9 Ariana Was A Huge Fan Of Horror Movies As A Little Kid
You probably think of Ariana as a super sweet, feminine pop star. After all, she wears pink, dyes her hair her favorite color lavender, keeps her shiny hair up in that gorgeous high ponytail, loves makeup, and has a tendency to rock bows and ribbons. However, Ariana has admitted that she totally has a dark side! You may not realize it by looking at her, but she says that her fans might be surprised.
According to Seventeen, Ariana absolutely loves horror movies, and she was super into them as a kid! She said that for her fifth birthday party, she made the whole things Jaws-themed.
Although she was loving it, she says that all of her friends actually left her house crying because they were so freaked out! Ariana also said that her love of horror movies and all things creepy actually used to freak out her mom. She says that her mom never expected her to grow up to be so happy and feminine. But despite Ariana’s obsession with things that go bump in the night, she clearly did grow up to be positive and well-adjusted. However, she says that to this day she still can’t get enough of scary movies!
8 Frankie Has Always Given Ariana Advice On Her Music
One of the coolest things about Ariana and Frankie sharing similar passions is the fact that they can give each other advice and help each other out. Just think about how cool it would be if one of your siblings shared the same hobbies that you do. Or maybe you are lucky enough to have this kind of relationship with a sister or brother! You can work on fun projects together, motivate each other to try new things and work harder, and inspire each other in so many ways.
That’s basically the kind of bond that Ariana and Frankie have.
For example, Frankie told Billboard that he likes to be in the studio with Ariana when she records and give her a little push in the right direction when she needs it.
He says that he was lucky enough to be in the studio with her when she was recording her latest hit single, “No Tears Left to Cry.” He described the process of watching her work as magical. It really is so sweet that these siblings have nothing but love and support for each other. This type of connection can be pretty rare when it comes to celebrity families.
7 Ariana Did Not Eat Meat As A Child
By now, you already know that Ariana does not eat any animal products! She eats this way for a few reasons: she feels very healthy on a plant-based diet, and she also just loves animals so much that she does not want them on their plate. Obviously, this is a personal decision for her, and not everyone can eat this way, but she seems quite happy just sticking to plants. Good for her! According to Mind Body Green, Ariana did not actually start eating this way until about 2013, so by now, she has been sticking to this diet for about five solid years. However, even as a child, she did not like the idea of eating meat.
As you now know, Ariana’s family is Italian, so they were big on eating meat! But when Ariana was old enough to make her own decisions about food, she decided that she no longer wanted to eat it. She would rarely eat meat if it the choice was up to her, although she did use to enjoy eating fish and cheese! But once she decided to go 100% vegan, she was able to ditch all of those foods and just ate plants.
6 Both Siblings Went To Therapy Regularly, And They Think Everyone Should Try It
Ariana has always been open about the importance of taking care of your mental health. She knows that no matter who you are of what’s going on in your life, you simply cannot neglect what’s going on in your mind. Furthermore, she knows that there is no shame in struggling with mental health. If you’re feeling anxious, stressed, or even worried that you might be dealing with something more serious like depression, you do not have to hold back your feelings.
Ariana is a firm believer in bringing these issues out in the open and admitting that we all struggle from time to time.
That’s why Ariana told FADER that she was proud of her decision to go to therapy. In fact, she said that she and her brother had gone to therapy on and off throughout their lives, most likely starting when their parents got divorced. In fact, Ariana said that both of them have benefitted so much from going to therapy over the years that she would recommend it to anyone who was thinking of taking the leap and going in for a session. She says that she thinks almost anyone would benefit from talking more about mental health.
5 Ariana Has Been A Huge Hockey Fan Since Childhood.
Now, you might not imagine that Ariana was ever a big sports fan. After all, she is so busy with music these days that it doesn’t seem like she would really have time for any other hobbies, right? Her schedule would be way too swamped. However, it turns out that Ariana was actually a huge fan of hockey as a kid. As far we know, she never actually played herself. She just loved watching it! According to Fox Sports, Ariana actually had a reputation amongst hockey fans in Boca Raton as a child. Why?
Because whenever she would go to the games with her parents, she always seemed to get hit by pucks! It happened so many times that local newspapers even mentioned it when they were writing about the games: for some reason, this little girl just seemed to attract stray pucks. It was the funniest thing! Apparently, Ariana never really seemed to mind. She just loved watching the games so much that getting hit by the occasional puck never bothered her, and it certainly did not deter her from going to the games! She and Frankie both say that they are still big fans of the Florida Panthers.
4 The Siblings Have Always Loved Old School Music.
Ariana is a pop star through and through. She does dabble in R&B here and there, but overall, she is definitely a pop artist. And she is great at what she does. Her style manages to be unique and stand out in a sea of mainstream pop. There is simply no denying that she is one of the best in the game. All you have to do is look at how high all of her albums and singles chart, and see how quickly she sells out stadiums around the world, and it’s obvious that right now, she is basically the queen of pop.
However, when Ariana was growing up, she actually wasn’t a huge fan of pop music.
According to Billboard, she always preferred older music. In fact, she liked to listen to the same music as her grandparents, and apparently, they had a big influence on her taste! Ariana says that when she was growing up, she loved listening to artists like Marlene Dietrich, Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, and Connie Francis. She says that her grandparents used to tell her that she should try singing songs from the Great American Songbook! Clearly, she went down a different path.
3 Ariana’s Mom Always Had To Be Careful About Her Sugar Intake.
As we mentioned a little while ago, Ariana is very health conscious now. She has a personal trainer and eats a super healthy vegan diet! Maybe that’s the secret to her amazing dance moves? If so, it might just be worth trying out. However, there is a reason that Ariana has to be careful about what she puts into her body. According to the Daily Mail, Ariana actually dealt with a condition called hypoglycemia as a child. If you’re confused about what this means, don’t worry, because we’re about to break it all down for you.
Basically, Ariana couldn’t really handle sugar the way everyone else does. If she was distracted as a kid and forgot to eat a meal, her blood sugar went crazy, and so did her attitude! She admitted that her mom had to keep a very close eye on her diet, and even to this day, she tries to eat very clean meals in order to keep everything under control. She even says that she would turn into a little devil if she missed a meal as a child! Now, she is obviously more mature and can keep her attitude in check if she doesn’t get to eat.
2 Ariana And Frankie Both Liked To Wear Masks Around Their House As Kids.
So, there is one quirky detail about the Grande household that keeps popping up in interviews with these siblings and articles about them. Remember how we said that Ariana was a huge fan of horror movies? Well, apparently just watching the movies wasn’t enough. She also wanted to dress up as scary characters! According to Capital FM, Ariana says that she always wanted to wear a skeleton mask as a kid, and she used to freak out her parents by doing this!
Frankie has also mentioned that the two of them always loved to dress up and wear masks.
Maybe they just wanted to express their creative side, or maybe they were just playing dress up and being kids! Honestly, it’s probably the second one. Both Frankie and Ariana are such free spirits who just want to have fun, and growing up together must have been a blast. According to Harper’s Bazaar, Frankie said there was always some kind of performance going on in the house, whether they were singing, dancing, or dressing up in costumes! We can only assume that they probably raided their mother’s wardrobe from time to time. Growing up Grande sounds like it could have been a reality show!
1 They Grew Up On Their Grandma’s Italian Cooking.
You may already know that Ariana and Frankie both have Italian heritage. Although many fans used to think they were Hispanic due to their last name, they are actually Italian, and they are very proud of it! In fact, according to Marie Claire, their grandparents used to cook them tons of Italian food growing up. Ariana has been following a vegan diet for about five years now, but she says that giving up all of her favorite Italian foods was so tough! Both Ariana and Frankie said that their grandparents really wanted the kids to stay connected to their culture.
Growing up, they lived close to their grandparents, so they would often come over for Sunday dinners and cook up lots of food.
It’s sweet that Ariana and Frankie share this bond with their grandparents. Food definitely has the power to bring people together! We can only imagine the delicious holiday dinners that their grandparents must have prepared in the Grande household. Honestly, we’re getting hungry just thinking about it. Even though Ariana no longer eats these foods anymore, we’re sure that she craves them every once in a while. Who doesn’t crave their grandma’s home cooked secret recipes once in a while?
References: billboard.com, usmagazine.com, marieclaire.com, palmbeachpost.com, girl2watch.com, fader.com, playbill.com, etonline.com, dailymail.co.uk, harpersbazaar.com, seventeen.com, foxsports.com,
