Italian American phenomenon Ariana Grande was born on June 23, 1993 in Boca Raton, Fla. She first broke into the business by singing the national anthem at a professional hockey game, nailing even the tune’s highest notes, at just 8 years old. Realizing performing was her calling, Ariana worked her way up from regional theatre to Broadway by the time she was 15.

She made her Broadway debut in the all-teen musical called 13, where she played a cheerleader named Charlotte. Even though it was a supporting role, her singing stood out, landing her the National Youth Theatre Association Award in 2008. Just a year after being on stage, she landed the role of Cat Valentine on Nickelodeon’s Victorious.