American pop singer Ariana Grande shared a vulnerable moment in her life as she announced and mourned the passing of her grandmother, Marjorie “Nonna” Grande, on her Instagram account.
“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,” the message read.
Nonna passed away at the age of 99, four months shy of celebrating her centenary. Ariana Grande is one of the many celebrities whose family members are also in the public eye. Aside from her older brother, Frankie Grande, her grandmother also gained adoration from her fans, treating her as one of them, which earned her the nickname.
Notably, Ariana’s grandmother has been very supportive of her throughout her career. Nonna also made two appearances in her discography.
She was first featured on “Bloodline” from the 2019 album “Thank U, Next.” Recently, she was featured as a credited artist on “Ordinary Things” from “Eternal Sunshine” in 2024. The latter charted at #55 on the Billboard Hot 100, which gave Nonna a record as the most senior living “artist” at the time to make an appearance on the chart at the age of 98.
She also went up to the stage alongside the pop star after the first live performance of “God is a woman” at the 2018 MTV Video Music Awards.
While the final moments of Nonna with her family and Ariana are unpublicized, it is heartfelt to realize that she was able to witness the first half of Wicked, starring her granddaughter, during its premiere last year.
As of now, no further statements have been made following the devastating announcement. However, Ariana Grande has posted on her Instagram page to pay tribute to Nonna.