Ariana Grande's Decade Through Hairstyles
When you think about iconic hairstyles, one of the first celebrities to come to mind is undoubtedly Ariana Grande. From her signature high ponytail to her bright red strands as Cat on Victorious, the 26-year-old pop star has some of the most recognizable hairstyles of any celeb. Inspiring memes and even viral lookalikes, Grande’s pop culture "hair-fluence" is undeniable.
Grande has had a pretty wild decade—she broke the record for the number of simultaneous Billboard Top 40 hits by a female artist, dated and almost married Pete Davidson (actually, can we forget about this?), collaborated with artists like Nicki Minaj and Lana Del Rey, and plenty more. While plenty of her actions are up for debate, there's no doubt she’s permeated all aspects of pop culture, from TV to music.
The icon has had an unmatched influence on music and pop culture this decade, so we decided to round up some of her best hair looks over the past ten years. Check them out below, and maybe get some inspiration to shake up your own look as 2020 arrives.
Long, long ago, before the pop star days, Ari starred on Victorious as Cat Valentine, a character well-known for her vibrant red hair and high-pitched voice. Grande kept the staple red hair for several years until Victorious ended in early 2013, making it one of her most recognizable styles.
After the curtains closed on Victorious, Grande went back to a more natural look. Soft curls were a regular choice for the then-19-year-old star, who wore it with grace. While the color is a typical one for the musician, seeing her with her hair down is pretty rare.
Grande started wearing her ever-recognizable, scalp-cinching high ponytail around 2013, where the style can be seen on the cover of her debut album, Yours Truly. This was way before we knew that it would become her thing, but let’s just say that hindsight is 20/20.
Who could ever forget the ombré hair trend? Grande’s dark brown roots gently faded to a light reddish-blonde, a flattering look when perched in her ponytail. The pop star kept this style for quite a while, definitely pulling it off better than some of us did.
Though we got glimpses of the ponytail earlier in Grande’s career, it didn’t start to be a part of her consistent image until around 2015. The pop star’s pony prompted meme after meme, and she even tweeted that she’s in “constant pain” because of it. More power to you, Ari.
In 2016, Grande debuted a thick bang alongside her staple ombré ponytail, prompting dozens of articles and how-to-look-like-Ari pieces to circulate around the internet. While the bangs are long gone, they’ll live on in our hearts. And no, I couldn’t resist a good pun about the 2014 Jessie J feat. Ariana Grande and Nicki Minaj masterpiece, “Bang Bang.”
Ari’s platinum blonde hair is one of her boldest looks to date. The ponytail makes a reappearance in this photo, which is from her performance at 2018's March For Our Lives in Washington, D.C. Fans went crazy for her rare low pony, so it’s doubly iconic!
Earlier this year, Grande went au naturel and showed off her stunning curls. She used to rock her natural look back in 2008, but we haven’t seen much of her natural curls. We love the look, and hopefully she’ll bring it back in the new decade.
