Role of the Performer - Ariana Grande
Ariana Grande. Most everyone knows the name. Though only 28 years old, she has already had quite the performing career. After performing onstage as a child and in a Broadway play at age 15, she landed lead roles on a couple of TV shows in her teenage years. She then dove into her chart-topping musical career, having released five successful albums to date. She's also got 6 #1 hits and multiple Grammys!
Though Ariana Grande has assisted in writing some of her music, the large majority of her songs are composed by others and performed by her. Her role as a performer is bringing those songs to life. She is well-liked, very popular, and her performances can usually be seen at the top of the charts.
One popular song Ariana Grande is known for is Bang Bang, which was composed by Nicki Minaj, Rickard Goransson, Savan Kotecha, & Max Martin and released in the U.S. on July 29, 2014.
Check out Ariana Grande performing Bang Bang live here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SLp7G8dYRlQ
One musical element found in Bang Bang is the tempo, which is 150 BPM and considered allegro. This tempo is upbeat and perfect for Ariana Grande's performances where fans are rarely sitting in their seats. Another musical element found in this song is the melody, which can be compared to the first line of Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go by Wham. A common and well known melody; this melody adds the twisted pop this song and performance needs!
Another popular song Ariana Grande is known for is Dangerous Woman, which was composed by Ross Golan and Johan Carlsson and released in the U.S. on May 20, 2016.
Check out Ariana Grande performing Dangerous Woman live here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=je38_skt_Jg
One musical element found in Dangerous Woman is the mid-tempo that results in a slow-jam pop and R&B song. The two genres coupled together makes for a powerful song that is perfect for performing live. Another musical element found in this song is the tone. The tone is hard-edged and almost threatening, which brings a very cunning sound and allows for an empowered performance.
Ariana Grande is considered an excellent performer because, unlike other singers, experts agree that she can really sing. She has demonstrated her vocal abilities in numerous live performances. Ariana Grande has a four-octave soprano vocal range and a powerful voice, making her an impressive performer.
I personally am not a huge fan of Ariana Grande or her music. Though I do agree that she has an impressive voice and her performances are popular and successful, I personally don't choose to listen to her music or watch her performances. I find her mannerisms and style quite irritating and though impressive, I find her voice difficult to listen to at times.
Sources:
Moore, Tony. “Ariana Grande.” Biography.com, A&E Networks Television, 17 May 2021, https://www.biography.com/musician/ariana-grande.
“List of Songs Recorded by Ariana Grande.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 9 Oct. 2021, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_songs_recorded_by_Ariana_Grande.
“Can Ariana Grande Really Sing?” Celeb Answers, 6 Oct. 2020, https://celebanswers.com/can-ariana-grande-really-sing/#:~:text=Ariana Grande has a four fully showcase her range.
“Musical Style and Influences - The Life of Ariana Grande.” Google Sites, https://sites.google.com/site/thelifeofarianagrandebutera/artistry/musical-style-and-influences.
Cardoso, Jose. “Ariana Grande Is a Very Different and ‘Dangerous Woman’ on Her Latest Single.” Mic, Mic, 11 Mar. 2016, https://www.mic.com/articles/137717/ariana-grande-is-a-very-different-and-dangerous-woman-on-her-latest-single.
I was drawn to your blog post because you wrote about Ariana Grande (I love her), and to be honest I did laugh at your last paragraph about how her work is not your preference. I agree with you that her range and voice are so powerful. She actually very recently got cast to play Glinda in the live action Wicked movie (which I wrote about in my own blog). There’s a lot of speculation about whether or not she will be able to bring back her broadway training or that she may “pop-ify” the role. I know Ariana Grande performances are not for everyone (even I sometimes get a little annoyed by how she doesn’t enunciate words clearly) but here is a video of her performing The Wizard and I from Wicked. I have faith that her old broadway training will be showcased in this upcoming movie.
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I learned so much about Ariana Grande from your post! I was unaware that most of her songs are actually covers. She seems to be one of the few pop singers who can really sing/perform without relying on auto tune. I prefer the second song, " Dangerous Woman" as it really lets her vocal abilities shine. I don't hear as much of that overwhelmingly fake, pop feel. I really like your description of her tone in the song as well. It definitely gives the song a sultry, R&B feel. Another topic to mention in your discussion of vocal range would be her whistle notes that she is so famous for!
ReplyDeleteI first saw Ariana on the TV show "Victorious" and she was my favorite character. And from what I heard her personality is really similar to the character she played. I have also been watching her on "The Voice" and seeing her interact with the contestants is really sweet. So I actually don't like her stage presence very much because I feel it's too much of a contradiction with her personality. I do love her music and her voice though.
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