Before Ariana Grande became a pop icon, she was a Nickelodeon star on the hit show Victorious. Despite being practically unknown compared to her current fame and success, she still earned a substantial income from the show during her teenage years, solely based on her skills and talents. Here is what her alleged contract looked like, which undoubtedly foreshadowed her destiny as a superstar.
How Much Did Ariana Grande Earn from Victorious?
Before becoming a global star, Ariana Grande started out rather humbly by playing Cat Valentine, one of the main characters in the popular Nickelodeon show called Victorious. However, despite not being the lead, she still managed to steal the spotlight.
Those who have closely followed the show, or are chronically online, know that the power dynamic between Victoria Justice and Grande was somewhat weird, as evidenced by numerous interviews and behind-the-scenes clips (as seen in this viral Popstar! interview). Although Justice was the main character, Grande was not far behind in terms of popularity and influence.
The alleged contract obtained by TMZ for the Thank u, next singer doesn’t just suggest Grande’s unstoppable rise but also showcases how her star power cannot be contained. According to reports, she earned a whopping $9,000 per episode during the first season, which is not quite shabby for a teenager. In comparison, according to IMDb, Victoria Justice is believed to have received an estimate of $12,000 per episode.
That was not all. Ariana Grande also received compensation of $7.5K for lending her beautiful voice to the show. To break it down even further, she earned $4,000 for a theme song, $3,000 for songs played in various episodes, and $1,500 for a 20-second ditty. Her alleged contract even boasted some absurd claims, such as ensuring that apart from the show’s leading stars like Victoria Justice, no one would have a better dressing room than hers.
But wait, there’s more! Believe it or not, at just 16 years old, she also had another music contract as per the report, allowing her to record up to 5 albums. The guarantee started at $50,000 for the first album and only went up from there. Unbelievable!
What’s Ariana Grande’s Net Worth?
Although she cashed in hefty checks as a teenager, it was just the beginning as the star would grow up to become one of the most popular pop stars to ever grace the planet, with her current net worth estimated to be $240 million as per Celebrity Net Worth.
Following her Victorious days, she was also seen in other shows like Sam & Cat and Scream Queens. However, it was her complete switch to music that truly made her the icon she is today. The multi-hyphenated artist also reportedly received an estimated amount of $25 million from the popular reality show The Voice, according to iHeart.
Now coming to the real deal, her music career, to begin with her singles they have been incredibly successful. According to Harper’s Bazaar, she earned $29.5 million from single downloads as of 2018, so it is safe to assume it has only gotten up since then.
Her Dangerous Woman tour brought in a staggering $71 million, with Billboard reporting that she made “over $50,000 in merchandise every night” on top of that. Furthermore, her Sweetener World Tour proved to be immensely profitable, grossing a total of $243.5 million as per new Billboard reports, among other things.
Grande is unquestionably a true icon. With Wicked lined up in her calendar for the year ahead, along with her recent album Eternal Sunshine, her net worth is set to skyrocket even further.
Wicked is set to release on 27 November 2024, Victorious is available for streaming on Paramount+.
