Musical style and influences

The doo-wop-inspired disc was complimented for recreating the R&B "vibe and feel of the 90s" with the help of nineties R&B hit maker Babyface. The follow-up, My Everything (2014), has been described as an evolution from her first album with a new sound exploring EDM and electropop genres. The Los Angeles Times review of her third album, Dangerous Woman, commented that it is "impressive how fully she inhabits the emotional environment of each song here, even when one directly contradicts another. ... She's ... deft at adapting to different styles". "I love Mariah Carey. She is literally my favorite human being on the planet. And of course Whitney Houston as well. As far as vocal influences go, Whitney and Mariah pretty much cover it. I love Fergie as well. She's just so fun and passionate. I love that she raps as well. Like, she has a fantastic voice and she can belt Gs and As and she doesn't have to do it all the time. She just has swag and I think that's really cool." — Grande, on her musical influences. Grande has cited Cuban-American star Gloria Estefan as the person who inspired her to pursue a career in the music industry, after Estefan complimented a performance she saw Grande give on a cruise ship when she was eight years old. Grande cites Whitney Houston as a major influence on her career, stating that Houston has inspired her "endlessly" since she was a child.Grande also described Houston as the reason why she began singing, as well as citing Brandy Norwood as an influence, noting her "riffs" in particular. She has also cited Madonna, Destiny's Child, Fergie, Christina Aguilera, India.Arie, Imogen Heap and Amy Winehouse as influences. Grande's debut album was inspired by artists like Amy Winehouse, Mariah Carey, Whitney Houston, Alicia Keys, Christina Aguilera, Katy Perry and Madonna, with unreleased collaborations with SkyBlu of LMFAO, 3OH!3, Kool Kojak and Pebe Sebert. She named Keys, Carey and Beyoncé as female artists she tried to channel during the three years it took to create the record. Grande described Imogen Heap as one of her influences, noting Heap's "intricate" song structure. She also cites India.Arie as an influence, calling Arie's voice "heaven" and praising her lyrics. She has described actress and singer Judy Garland as being one of her childhood influences, stating that she grew up watching and listening to Garland, admiring her ability to tell "a story when she sings".Grande has stated that Big Sean, whom she dated from 2014 to 2015, is her favorite rapper and collaborator.