Ariana Grande is mourning the loss of her beloved grandmother, Marjorie Grande — fondly known as “Nonna” — who passed away peacefully at home at the age of 99.
On Instagram, Ariana and her mom Joan expressed their grief with the singer's fans, writing: “We are devastated to share that the beloved matriarch of our family has passed away.
"Marjorie (Nonna) Grande passed peacefully in her home and was surrounded by her family and loved ones for every moment of her last few weeks.
"We thank you for your love, support and for respecting our privacy as we grieve and celebrate her beautiful, extraordinary life."
A Lifelong Inspiration Behind Ariana’s Stardom
Nonna Marjorie’s impact on Ariana’s life reached far beyond family love — she fueled her star power. It was Nonna who encouraged Ariana to audition for her first major stage role: “I said, you know, Ariana could do that,” Nonna recalled on Today about urging her granddaughter to join the Boca Raton production of Annie. “She became the star. She auditioned, and she became Annie.”
That legendary nudge set Ariana on her journey to superstardom.
Marjorie wasn’t just at home cheering Ariana on — she walked the walk, turning heads with her granddaughter at awards shows like the VMAs and AMAs.
In celebration of her 99th birthday in October 2024, Ariana’s brother, Frankie, posted a joyful tribute, writing: “Happy 99th birthday to the Queen… NONNA! [...] I love you so much and I couldn’t feel more blessed to celebrate this unbelievable milestone with you and our beautiful family."
Last year, Nonna Marjorie also made music history. At age 98, she became the oldest person ever featured on the Billboard Hot 100, lending her voice to the track 'Ordinary Things', from Ariana’s Eternal Sunshine album.
In the outro, Nonna shared a touching reflection on love and marriage: “And when he’d come home, and I’d see him / When he first gets off that train / It was like God almighty arrived / It was like seeing daylight,” she reminisced.
“I mean, I could’ve packed up and left a million times, you know? / It’s not that we never fought, you can overcome that, you know?
“It is very easy, and as I told her / Never go to bed without kissin’ goodnight / That’s the worst thing to do, don’t ever, ever do that / And if you can’t, and if you don’t feel comfortable doing it / You’re in the wrong place, get out.”
Grande has since shared a photo of her grandmother on her wedding day, simply captioning the post: "forever".
She had previously contributed vocals to Ariana’s 'daydreamin’' (2013’s Yours Truly) and 'bloodline' (2019’s Thank U, Next), and once told The Zach Sang Show how thrilled and “moved” she was to be on Ariana’s albums.
Bonding Over Awards, Tattoos, and Toasts
The bond between Ariana and Nonna hit another milestone in 2018 when the two got matching tattoos to celebrate Ariana being named Woman of the Year. And in November last year, Ariana whisked her grandma to Boca Raton’s Cinemark 20 to see Wicked on the big screen — a moment captured in a sweet Instagram Story of Nonna smiling and clapping alongside Ariana’s boyfriend Ethan Slater and brother Frankie.
Frankie Grande’s Loving Tribute to His “Safe Place”
Frankie Grande also paid an emotional tribute on Instagram, sharing a slideshow of touching moments with Nonna.
His message read: “Dearest Nonna, How can I ever thank you enough for the countless lessons you wove into my heart over the years? You taught me how to love without conditions, how to dominate a three-card poker table, how to never ever take a bad picture, how to light up a dinner party just by being in the room, how to give the warmest, safest hugs, how to stand in my truth unapologetically, how to not give a single f**k about what anyone thinks.”
“You always called me the apple of your eye, Nonna and you have always been mine. A best friend. My safe place," Frankie continued. “I will carry that torch fiercely in your absence. No question. No option.
“I love you endlessly, my sweet Nonna. I miss you more than words can hold. My heart is shattered, but I feel you watching over me, already so proud of everything I’ve done and all that is about to come.
“Thank you for every moment, every lesson, every hug, every belly laugh. Until we meet again, and we will, please kiss Grandpa and Aunt Judy for me, and tell them how much I love and miss them too.”
Ariana’s family described Nonna Marjorie as a “beautiful, extraordinary” matriarch — words that capture her boundless energy, love, and guidance over nearly a century.
From small-town Boca Raton stages to red carpets and recording booths, her influence shaped one of music’s brightest stars.
Our thoughts go out to the Grande family at this time.