It’s time to “Focus” on pop princess Ariana Grande’s best collabs — because today marks her 30th birthday!
Already loved for her acting roles in the early 2010s, Grande was an instant sensation when she broke into the music scene in 2013 at only 20 years old. Releasing hit after hit, she quickly became known for her upbeat bops, carefree lyrics, and scream-along anthems.
Before we look back at her top songs featuring other superstars, check out how Ariana herself celebrated her big day on social media — with this adorable childhood photo:
“hbd, tiny !” she wrote in the caption. “I trust you implicitly & have never been prouder of you.”
Ariana grande’s Best Collabs
Among her impressive list of chart-topping singles and albums are collaborations with some pretty legendary artists. Now, in honor of Ariana’s special day, we’re looking back on her career so far to highlight a few of these iconic musical collabs.
“The Way” with Mac Miller
Peaking at No. 9 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, this catchy collab with rapper Mac Miller was the first single from Ariana Grande’s 2013 debut album, Yours Truly.
A hugely successful track, “The Way” proved Grande was not messing around when it came to her music career. The upbeat love song continued its hype well into 2016 when fans discovered the pair had started dating — with lyrics like “I don’t wanna hide the way I feel when you’re next to me” becoming more relevant than ever. This classic still stands the test of time 10 years later and also serves as a heartfelt tribute to the late Mac Miller..
“Problem” with Iggy Azalea
This absolute banger of a single featuring Australian rapper Iggy Azalea was released ahead of Ariana Grande’s second album, My Everything.
The song perfectly combined Grande’s pop vocals with Azalea’s trendy R&B vibes — not to mention that unforgettable saxophone beat. Hitting No. 2 on Billboard’s Hot 100, it quickly beat out “The Way” as her highest-charting track. With mic-drop lyrics like “I got 99 problems, but you won’t be one,” it’s no surprise it also won Best Song at the 2014 MTV Europe Music Awards.
“Bang Bang” with Jessie J and Nicki Minaj
What do you get when you mix Ariana Grande and Jessie J’s incredible vocal ranges with Nicki Minaj’s rap skills? The ultimate collab track.
Serving unmatched energy, “Bang Bang” catapulted to the top of the charts after its release in 2014. The single’s sassy lyrics and absolutely iconic rap verse made it a great summer anthem that was near impossible not to sing along to. Almost a decade later, the GRAMMY-nominated jam has found its way onto throwback playlists everywhere. Talk about girl power.
