Top 10 Hardest Ariana Grande Songs to Sing

Top 10 Hardest Ariana Grande Songs to Sing

Welcome to MsMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the most notable Ariana Grande songs we all love listening to, but are quite challenging to pull off.

#10: “Why Try” (2014)

We aren’t saying you shouldn’t bother trying to sing this one, but if you do, prepare yourself for a challenging vocal workout. Ariana Grande begins “Why Try” in a lower, more manageable register that could give you a false sense of confidence. However, by the time the chorus kicks in, you may find yourself struggling to catch up with Ms. Grande. Although she has reportedly called “Why Try” her most boring song, there’s absolutely nothing boring about how she effortlessly hits those high notes throughout the chorus. She comes back down right after, but it's only a matter of time before you’ll need to go sky high again.

#9: “Touch It” (2016)

“Touch It” is about a relationship in which the guy is cautious, but Grande looks forward to a time when they can completely trust each other. To successfully execute this song, you’ll need to have complete faith in your vocal abilities, as it demands some pretty impressive vocal runs. Throughout the entire track, Grande’s voice gracefully carries the melody, but it’s in the chorus where it truly shines. Her vocals soar to new levels in this section, with captivating runs and impressive high notes that just aren’t in the cards for many of us.

#8: “Jason's Song (Gave It Away)” (2016)

With its jazz influence and funky beat, “Jason's Song (Gave It Away)” stands out as a different sound from much of Grande’s catalog. This could make it harder for anyone who thinks they have a beat on her style - as this one requires a much quicker verbal dexterity throughout the lyric-flowing verses. Then, once you’ve mastered that part (or at least tried to), the chorus hits and Grande ratchets up the vocal power again - all while reaching some rather impressive notes. We’re not sure what Jason gave away, but you might have to give away your soul in a deal with the devil to hit some of those notes.

#7: “My Hair” (2020)

This song is all about Grande allowing herself to be vulnerable with someone and letting them, literally, touch her hair. That idea is punctuated by the smooth, soulful R&B sounds that she rides throughout the track, allowing her vocals to really take center stage. And while on that stage, her voice sure doesn’t disappoint. You may think you got the hang of it at first - but can you hit a whistle tone? Don’t worry, we can’t either. But Ariana Grande sure can, and she even sings the second chorus completely in said tone, so good luck with that. The song appeared on her “Positions” album, which also featured the notoriously tough “POV."

#6: “God Is a Woman” (2018)

“God Is a Woman” is a song of empowerment that requires strong and emotional vocals. And that is exactly what it gets with Ariana Grande at the mic. As the singer encourages women to embrace their lives and their inner strength, she does so with the power of her own impressive voice. A performance Forbes described as “sprinkling her signature falsetto across the sultry chorus and reining in her vocal acrobatics in the verses.” Oh, and you should probably know that the song was initially written for Camila Cabello but, “it didn't end up sounding right” for her. Now, if it doesn’t sound right when Cabello does it, how are any of us supposed to make it so?

#5: “Tattooed Heart” (2013)

Love and heartache are two emotions we can pretty much all relate to. They are also at the center of more pop songs than we can count - including this Motown-inspired gem from Ariana Grande. This isn’t one of those songs you can just dive into without any preparation. To do “Tattooed Heart” justice, you need to convey profound emotion through your voice and soul. And as some may know, the intensity of such an emotional delivery can sometimes make it harder to do the simple things - like hitting all the right notes. This challenge is only compounded by the range of notes Grande effortlessly hits here, which she also does on other “Yours Truly” tracks like “Right There” and “Daydreamin.’”

#4: “Breathin” (2018)

“Breathin” is a very personal song for Grande, written about her struggles with anxiety following the tragic attacks during her Manchester Arena concert. The music is meant to represent Grande in the midst of a panic attack and, as such, there are dynamic volume shifts throughout the song to suggest this feeling. If this wasn’t difficult enough, Grande’s vocals move through an incredibly wide range, hitting the highest of notes before returning to a more manageable range, then back up again as needed. Good luck trying to match her vocal versatility.

#3: “No Tears Left to Cry” (2018)

Ariana Grande wrote “No Tears Left to Cry” as a way to try and move on from the trauma and sadness of the Manchester Arena attack, as a way to “be positive and talk about positivity and love.” It’s a big message and Grande goes big right off the bat. This song doesn’t give you time to work your way into it - starting off right away with some breathy high notes. The slower-paced opening then leads into a change of tempo, and as the beat turns up so does the pace of her singing. So, now you have to deal with her range as well as a quicker verbal dexterity than you started with.

#2: “Imagine” (2019)

“Imagine” was the first - and only - promotional single released for Grande’s 5th studio album, “Thank U, Next.” Now, we can imagine ourselves singing this song, but we’re pretty sure our imagination is the only place we could totally pull it off. One quick scan of the Wikipedia page and you’ll see the line, “The song features multiple whistle notes.” Right there, that eliminates most of us from ever attaining the vocal totality of this track. But if you can hit those notes, and corral your voice through the various runs and staccato wordplay, then singing this song can go beyond the boundaries of your imagination.

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.

“Bang Bang” (2014), Jessie J, Ariana Grande & Nicki Minaj
Good Luck Hitting Notes Like Jessie & Ariana, & Rapping Like Nicki

“Everytime” (2018)
The Stripped-Down Music Means Your Vocals Have Nowhere to Hide in This One

“Baby I” (2013)
Grande’s Vocals in This Song Have Been Compared to Mariah Carey’s… Enough Said

“Greedy” (2016)
Don’t Be Greedy, Be Happy if You Can Get Close to the High Notes She Hits on This Track

“Bad Idea” (2019)
Thinking You Can Pull This One Off Might Just Be a Bad Idea

#1: “Problem” (2014)
Ariana Grande feat. Iggy Azalea

You’re going to have a problem trying to sing this song. Now, with the obvious dad joke out of the way, we can point out the veracity of the song’s position on this list. If you plan on doing Iggy Azalea’s rap also, that’s a whole other level of difficulty. However, assuming you have someone else to be the featured rapper, focusing all your attention on Grande’s vocals is still a super hard ask for most of us. There isn’t just a line or two where Grande hits some high notes. Her vocal range is on display throughout this track - verses and chorus. As it is with other songs from the same album, like “Only 1," “Just a Little Bit of Your Heart” and “My Everything."

Which of these great Grande tracks would you dare try to sing in front of people? Let us know in the comments.