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Is Ariana Grande Latina? Let’s Clear Up the Confusion!
With “Wicked” making its debut on the big screen this week, everyone is focused on Ariana Grande, who plays Glinda. However, one question that always seems to pop up about Ariana is: Is she Latina? Spoiler alert—no, she’s not. Yet, her Italian heritage has ignited some intriguing discussions about what being “Latino” truly means.
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What’s the Origin of Ariana’s Name?
Ariana Grande-Butera was born in sunny Boca Raton, Florida, to Joan Grande and Edward Butera. The ‘Grande’ in her name comes from her mom’s side, while ‘Butera’ is from her dad’s Italian roots. Ariana often describes herself as Italian American with family heritage in Sicily and Abruzzo, two regions in Italy.
Her name might sound romantic and exotic, but it’s 100% Italian—not Latin American. Still, because of her name and looks, some people have mistakenly thought she was Latina, Asian, Black, or even Middle Eastern. This mix-up is pretty common for celebrities, especially when their appearance or style plays with different influences!
Ariana performing at Ari by Ariana Grande launch party at Macy’s 5 years ago today (16th September 2015) pic.twitter.com/IuAtIlJ4ea
— Throwback not Ariana (@throwbackagb) September 16, 2020
Ariana’s family is a huge part of her life. She’s particularly close to her mom, Joan, and her brother, Frankie Grande, who has his own career in performing. Even though her parents split when she was younger, Ariana has reconnected with her dad, Edward Butera, over the past few years. This reunion explains why she’s now listing her full name, Ariana Grande-Butera, in the credits for Wicked.
“That was my name when I went to see the show when I was 10 years old, and it felt like a really nice way of honoring that. It felt really full circle, and it just felt like something I wanted to do,” she mentioned in an interview with The Streaming Service.
Italians and Latinos: What’s the Connection?
Italians aren’t considered Latino in today’s sense of the word, especially in the U.S., where “Latino” typically refers to people from Latin America. But if we look back to ancient times, Italians are technically connected to the term “Latino.”
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Why? Because Italy is the birthplace of the Latin language, which laid the groundwork for Romance languages such as Spanish, Portuguese, and French. The Roman Empire extended this culture far and wide, influencing everything from language to law. So, if you think of ‘Latino’ as someone connected to Latin culture, Italians fit the description.
But here’s the twist: the modern understanding of Latino has changed. Today, it usually refers to people from Latin America. Italians don’t fall into that category, even though their language and culture have strong historical connections to the region.
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Ariana’s Style and Perceptions
Ariana’s appearance and image have evolved over the years, adding to the confusion about her ethnicity. When she was on Nickelodeon’s Victorious, she had her natural fair skin and dark red hair. But as she transitioned into her pop career, her style became more tanned and sophisticated, and later on, she adopted a look with lighter skin and sharper, more exotic features. This sparked conversations about cultural appropriation and whether she was presenting herself as racially ambiguous.
It’s important to remember that Ariana has never claimed to be Latina or anything other than Italian American. Still, the internet loves to speculate, and her ever-changing style keeps fans buzzing.
So, Is She Latina?
Nope, Ariana Grande isn’t Latina. She’s proud of her Italian heritage, though, and her family’s Sicilian and Abruzzese roots have greatly influenced her. Italians and Latin Americans share some historical ties, but they’re distinct groups with their own unique cultures and identities.
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