Ariana Grande Sings "99 Problems" on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon

We'd say Ariana Grande was the next Demi Lovado, but she doesn't seem the tortured type. We could lump her in with Miley Cyrus, but her papa isn't a star, and we can't see her twerking in coochie-cutters. Then again, she's only 20, so there's plenty of time for hormones...

By Liz Tracy

September 9, 2013

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We'd say Ariana Grande was the next Demi Lovado, but she doesn't seem the tortured type. We could lump her in with Miley Cyrus, but her papa isn't a star, and we can't see her twerking in coochie-cutters. Then again, she's only 20, so there's plenty of time for hormones and pressure to add complexity to the dimpled, Boca-bred songstress' pristine image.

If you caught her singing with Jimmy Fallon the other night on Late Night, you might have even cringed when she belted out the world "bitch" while covering Jay Z's "99 Problems." She and the host performed the classic hip-hop jam and two others -- Cypress Hill's "Insane in the Brain" and Macklemore and Ryan Lewis' "Thrift Shop" -- Broadway-style, and it's truly a treat for the ears and eyes.

Grande appeared in Swindle, a film released in late August, and still stars in Nickelodeon's Sam and Cat. But she was jamming with the comedian to promote her new album, Yours Truly, released on September 3. Watch Grande sing rap songs like a young Liza.

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Liz has her master’s degree in religion from Florida State University. She has since written for publications and outlets such as Miami New Times, Rolling Stone, Pitchfork, Ocean Drive, the Huffington Post, NBC Miami, Time Out Miami, Insomniac, the Daily Dot, and the Atlantic. Liz spent three years as New Times Broward-Palm Beach’s music editor, was the weekend news editor at Inverse, and is currently the managing editor at Tom Tom Magazine.

Contact: Liz Tracy

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Twitter: @theliz4eva