Ariana Grande-Butera (/ˌɑːriˈɑːnə ˈɡrɑːndeɪ/; born June 26, 1993) is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Born in Boca Raton, Florida, Grande began her career in the 2008 Broadway musical 13. She rose to promimence for her role as Cat Valentine in the Nickelodeon television series Victorious (2010–2013) and its spin-off Sam & Cat (2013–2014). After she grew interested in pursuing a music career, Grande recorded songs for the soundtrack of Victorious, and signed with Republic Records in 2011 after the label's executives discovered videos of her covering songs that she uploaded onto YouTube. She released her debut album, Yours Truly, in 2013 and debuted atop the US Billboard 200. A 1950s doo-wop-influenced pop and R&B album, it spawned her first US Billboard Hot 100 top-ten single, "The Way".