Who is Ariana Grande’s dad Ed Butera? Singer shares rare photo with her father 

Grammy award winner Ariana Grande recently shared multiple behind-the-scenes pictures from her newly-released short film, Brighter Days Ahead, on Instagram. She also included a rare picture with her father, Edward Butera, who appears in the movie. The trailer on set serves as a backdrop for their picture as Butera gives a sweet kiss on her forehead.

Given their history of estrangement, the picture shares a glimpse of their process towards reconciliation. Brighter Days Ahead is directed by Christian Breslauer. The 26-minute short film forms part of the deluxe edition of her 2024 album, eternal sunshine.

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What we know about Ariana Grande's Dad

Ed is both a graphic designer and a photographer. He founded Ibi Designs, a South Florida-based studio, in 1992, and according to the company’s website, his work has earned multiple awards over the years for the production of websites, graphics, and photography.

Joan and Ed's split:

According to Entertainment Tonight, Ariana’s parents separated when she was eight years old. She later referenced their relationship in her 2018 hit “Thank U, Next,” singing:

"One day I'll walk down the aisle / Holding hands with my mama / I'll be thanking my dad / 'Cause she grew from the drama."

Ed and Joan are now "best friends" despite their past conflicts. She opened up on the WTF with Marc Maron Podcast about being stuck between the two close figures of her life.

“I remember just kind of being at this pivotal point where I was just like, ‘You guys, I love you both so much. It’s been such a long time. Figure it the f--- out.’ ”

She added,

“Like hello, it’s been 18 years. Please get over it. And they did. It makes me really happy.”

Losing contact with her father:

During a 2014 interview with Seventeen, Ariana Grande spoke honestly about a painful chapter in her life, saying,

"Falling out of touch with my dad. It's private, but it happened last year. It took me so long to be okay with it. The thing that got me there was embracing the fact that that I am made up of half my dad, and a lot of my traits come from him."

The pop star continued:

"So much of me comes from my father, and for so long, I didn't like that about myself. I had to accept that it's okay not to get along with somebody and still love them."

A turning point in their relationship occurred ahead of her 2020 Grammy performance, during which Ariana updated the lyrics of “Thank U, Next” to: “I’ll be thanking my dad / Cause he’s really awesome.”

Following that moment, the pair celebrated holidays together and publicly shared their affection on social media.

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Ariana Grande's tribute to her parents

Ariana Grande appeared in Wicked under her full name, Ariana Grande-Butera. She made the choice as a tribute to her parents, who have supported her throughout her career.

When asked why she used her “full grown-up name,” Ariana said,

"Technically, it's my little girl name."

In a November 2024 interview with reporter Justin Hill, she explained,

“That was my name when I went to see the show when I was 10 years old, and it felt like a really lovely way of honoring that. It felt really full circle.”