Ariana Grande is embracing her roots in a refreshing return to her full moniker. The 31-year-old singer and actress has chosen to use her complete name, "Ariana Grande-Butera," in the credits for her latest cinematic venture, "Wicked," as reported by E! News. This decision beautifully intertwines her mother's name, Joan Grande, with her father's, Ed Butera, a graphic designer who parted ways with Joan when the pop icon was just eight years old.
The shift in her professional identity comes on the heels of Grande's recent reconciliation with her estranged father, following a period of estrangement that began in 2013. In the aftermath of their distance, Grande openly confessed that their separation was "one of the hardest things" she had ever faced. "It's deeply personal... I struggled immensely to come to terms with it," she poignantly shared in a 2014 interview with Seventeen magazine. "So much of my identity stems from my father, and for a long time, I rejected that part of myself. Yet, I learned to accept that it's okay not to see eye to eye with someone while still cherishing them."
Her poignant journey towards healing was subtly echoed in her 2018 chart-topper "Thank U, Next," where she sang, "One day I'll walk down the aisle, holding hands with my mama, I'll be thanking my dad 'cause she grew from the drama." Grande's social media posts have also served as a testament to their mended bond, from a heartfelt throwback photo captioned "I love you" in 2017 to a black-and-white snapshot of them FaceTiming during Christmas 2018. Further cementing their renewed relationship, Grande shared a behind-the-scenes photo with her father at one of her concerts on Instagram Stories in 2019, accompanied by the caption "Foreva." During the 2020 Grammys, she even altered the lyrics of her song to "I'll be thanking my dad 'cause he's really awesome," according to Elle Magazine.
Moreover, Grande's name change in "Wicked" isn't the only transformation she's undergoing. Earlier this year, she addressed her vocal adjustments for her role as Glinda in the film, which stars alongside singer-actress Cynthia Erivo, boyfriend Ethan Slater, and an ensemble of other renowned faces. In an interview with Evan Ross Katz for the "Shut Up Evan" podcast on July 9th, Grande explained that her vocal shifts are "a common occurrence, especially for those with a vast vocal range."
"I've spent countless hours embodying a character daily," she elaborated. "[I've trained] my voice to adapt to various demands long before embarking on this London journey and even before then; muscle memory is a very real phenomenon." Responding to initial fan teasing about her vocal transformation, the songstress assured, "I intentionally alter my vocal placement (high or low) frequently based on my singing demands."
"Wicked: Part One" is set to enchant audiences in theaters on November 22, 2024, with the sequel, "Wicked Part Two," scheduled for a November 2025 release.
