Ariana Grande's Grandmother, 98, Becomes Oldest Artist to Chart on Billboard's Hot 100

Mar. 15, 2025

Nonna and Ariana Grande in Inglewood in August 2014.Photo:Kevin Mazur/WireImage

Kevin Mazur/WireImage

Ariana Grande’s beloved grandmother,Marjorie Grande, has just made music history.

The pop star’s “Nonna” became the oldest artist to chart on the Billboard Hot 100. The 98-year-old broke the record after her 30-year-old granddaughter’s new single “ordinary things” hit No. 55 on the chart. Majorie is credited as a co-writer and singer on the track.

“Ordinary things” comes from the Grammy winner’s recent albumEternal Sunshine— which launched at No. 1 on the Billboard 200.

Marjorie Grande and Ariana Grande in New York City in April 2016.Kevin Mazur/Getty Images

Kevin Mazur/Getty Images

“Ordinary things” is the final track on Ariana’s seventh album. As the song concludes, Marjorie is heard talking about her late husband, Frank Grande.

Marjorie’s words go:

And when he’d come home and I’d see him, 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 seein' daylight

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’s 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.

Ariana’s laughter is heard closing out the song and album.

In an interview withZane Lowe for Apple Music 1, theSweetenersinger revealed she wasn’t sure how to end the song until she found a “voice note” of her grandmother talking to her friend, Shirley.

“I knew ‘ordinary things’ was the end of the album,” Ariana said. “I was like, ‘This is the last song, but I wonder how I can put that button on it and have it land emotionally the way that I feel it can, and how can I answer the question?’"

She explained that the answer to the album came “right smack in the middle” of Marjorie’s 30-minute note. “I always record my Nonna because you never know what she’s going to say,” explained Ariana.

Ariana Grande and Marjorie ‘Nonna’ Grande attend the 2016 American Music Awards in Los Angeles in November 2016.Kevin Mazur/AMA2016/WireImage

Kevin Mazur/AMA2016/WireImage

Along with “ordinary things,” Marjorie is also heard, but not credited, on Ariana’s debut albumYours Trulytrack “Daydreamin’,” as well as “Bloodline” fromThank U, Next.The albums were released in 2013 and 2019, respectively.

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Ariana’s “We Can’t Be Friends (Wait for Your Love)” track from the album also hit the No. 1 slot on the Billboard Hot 100. BeforeEternal Sunshinedropped, the first single from the album, “ “Yes, And?,” also scored the No. 1 spot on the chart dated Jan. 27, 2024.

source: people.com