You’ve probably seen her on the red carpet at the Grammys or heard the subtle name change in the Wicked credits. It’s no secret that Ariana Grande-Butera (yep, the full name is back) has a family history as dramatic and complex as a Broadway plot. For years, people wondered about the distance between her and her father, or why her mother seems to be her permanent plus-one.
Honestly, the answer to who are Ariana Grande’s parents isn't just a list of names. It’s a story about two high-powered New Yorkers who moved to Florida, built businesses, split up, and then—thanks to some serious persistence from their daughter—became best friends nearly two decades later.
Meet the CEO and the Designer
Ariana’s parents are Joan Grande and Edward Butera. They aren't just "celebrity parents" who jumped on the bandwagon once she got famous. These two were successful way before the world knew what a "vocal run" was.
Joan is a total powerhouse. She’s the CEO of Hose-McCann Communications, a company that manufactures communication equipment for the Marines and the Navy. Ariana has described her as the furthest thing from a "cookies-in-the-oven" type of mom. She’s a Brooklyn-born executive who has been the backbone of Ariana’s career since the Nickelodeon days.
Then there’s Edward Butera. He’s a graphic designer and the founder of IBI Designs in Boca Raton. If you’ve ever wondered where Ariana gets her creative eye, it’s likely from him. He’s an artist and photographer who, despite some very public rough patches with his daughter, has always been vocal about his pride in her work.
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The Divorce that Changed Everything
The family moved from New York to Boca Raton, Florida, while Joan was pregnant with Ariana. Things seemed fine for a while, but the marriage didn't last. Joan and Edward split in 2002 when Ariana was only eight or nine years old.
Divorce is tough on any kid. For Ariana, it meant growing up primarily with her mom and her older half-brother, Frankie Grande. She’s been open about how the split affected her, even referencing it in her 2018 smash hit "thank u, next." The original lyrics—"I'll be thanking my dad / 'cause she grew from the drama"—hinted at a lot of lingering resentment and a messy fallout.
The 2013 Estrangement
The most difficult period for the family happened around 2013. Ariana explicitly told Seventeen magazine that falling out of touch with her father was the hardest thing she’d ever dealt with. She didn't go into the gritty details of why it happened, calling it private, but she did admit it took her a long time to be okay with it.
She eventually realized that she is "half her dad" and that many of her own traits come from him. Accepting that was the first step toward healing.
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Making Them "Best Friends" Again
Here is the wild part. In a 2025 interview on the WTF with Marc Maron podcast, Ariana revealed that she basically pulled a real-life Parent Trap. She forced her parents to start talking again.
She told them, basically: "Look, it’s been 18 years. Figure it out."
And they did. It’s actually pretty rare to see a divorced couple reach the level of friendship they have now. They aren't together romantically, but they are "best friends." They both attended the 2020 Grammys together, and more recently, they stood side-by-side at the Los Angeles premiere of Wicked.
Why the "Butera" Name Matters Now
If you watched Wicked in late 2024 or 2025, you might have noticed her name listed as Ariana Grande-Butera. This wasn't just a random choice. It was a massive tribute to her lineage and her father.
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She explained that she went by that name when she first saw the show on Broadway at age ten. Using it for the film felt like a "homecoming." It signaled to the world that the "drama" from her childhood had finally been resolved. Even her father appeared in a short film for her Eternal Sunshine deluxe album, titled Brighter Days Ahead, where he’s seen in costume giving her a kiss on the forehead.
Understanding the Grande-Butera Heritage
The family is famously Italian-American. Ariana has described her heritage as half Sicilian and half Abruzzese.
- The "Grande" side: Joan’s family hails from Brooklyn.
- The "Butera" side: This name is distinctly Sicilian, even linked to a small town in Sicily called Butera.
For a long time, there was some confusion about her background—Ariana once mentioned discovering some Greek and North African roots via a DNA test—but she primarily identifies with her Italian upbringing. The loud dinners, the deep family loyalty, and the stubbornness are all things she attributes to her roots.
Actionable Takeaways for Fans
If you're following the family's journey, here’s how to see the influence of who are Ariana Grande's parents in her current work:
- Watch the Credits: Check the billing on her recent acting projects. The inclusion of "Butera" is her way of showing the world that her relationship with her father is healed.
- Listen to the Lyrics: Re-listen to "thank u, next." In live performances since 2020, she often changes the line about her dad to say, "I'll be thanking my dad / 'cause he's really awesome."
- Check Social Media: Edward Butera is quite active on Twitter and Instagram, often sharing behind-the-scenes photos of his daughter that you won't find on her official "brand" pages.
The story of the Grandes and the Buteras shows that even the most fractured families can find a way back to each other if someone is willing to do the work. Ariana's parents may not be a couple, but they’ve managed to create a new kind of family unit that supports her more than ever.