The Five Best Ariana Grande Songs to Get You Ready for Her Aug 26 Beijing Gig

Good news teeny boppers, Ariana Grande is set to rock Beijing's LeSports Center, formerly Wukesong Arena, on August 26 (early bird tickets go on sale July 5 at noon, but unfortunately only for American Express holders, see more in Chinese here; a far broader range of purchasing options will be available after July 9). The show marks Grande's China debut, as part of a world tour that very well might prove that she's more than "just another pop star." Although dismissed as such throughout much of her burgeoning, chart-topping career, Grande has shown herself to be as resilient as triumphant as they come. That is of course because she has famously dealt with the most tragic of circumstances as of late – returning to the stage in Manchester in early June a mere two weeks after a suicide bomber killed 22 attendees at her concert in that city.

During that moving gig – which was dubbed One Love Manchester – the 23-year-old, Florida-born musician invited a children's choir from local Parrs Wood High School onstage, after she saw their rendition of her hit "My Everything," in a social media fundraising video for those affected by the attack. Those spirited youngsters shone brightest in a star-studded show that also featured performances from some of Grande's biggest pop peers like Justin Bieber and Katy Perry, along with Marcus Mumford (frontman of the folk-pop troupe Mumford & Sons), and elder Mancunian boy band Take That, among others.

It was a resolute moment against adversity for a popstar who, prior to that, appeared to be blessed with a fairy tale life. Grande got her start as a children's theater performer at the age of 13 showcasing not only showbizz chops but also a keen marketing eye, Tweeting about her amateur stage escapades to quickly growing following. Before long, she had scored an acting gig on a Nickelodeon children's series, and by 2013, at the age of 20, she had released her debut album, Yours Truly, gaining critical acclaim for the catchiness of her songs as well as her four octave vocal range, which lead one magazine to dub her the next Mariah Carey. And even though her mainstream musical appeal, flashy fashion sense, romance with young rapper Mac Miller and other superficial facets left uppity music buffs to sell her short, Grande was always determined to prove her talents run deep.

Case in point: Grande spoke to Cosmopolitan a few months before the Manchester show, an excerpt of which reads:

"It’s important to the former Nickelodeon start to prove that there’s more to her than just being a ponytailed pop icon. 'A lot of times, women are labeled as a bitch or a diva for having a vision and being strong and using their voice, and it’s just not the case. You can be strong and be friendly. [We] don’t have to be just one thing, you know?'"

More recently, Grande has enticed her fans with news about a forthcoming album featuring input none other than producer de jour Pharrell (a mere year after the release of her blockbuster third album, Dangerous Woman, which featured the top-five Billboard Hot 100 single "Side to Side"). Aside from that she has also embarked on a world tour, which included a June 30 gig in Rio where she unveiled clever gimmicks like performing on a stationary bicycle.

But as fun as it is to read about Grande's accomplishments, it's best to let the her music speak for itself. To that end, we've rounded up our top five favorite Ariana Grande tracks to help you find "The Way," before he Beijing gig – from chart-topping singles, to deep cuts, to collaborations with some of her fellow platinum selling stars.

"The Way," feat. Mac Miller
This early cut from Grande's debut features her beau, rapper Mac Miller, and a supple, mid-tempo instrumental in the vein of her idol, Mariah Carey. Catchy and effective as it is, it wouldn't be long before Grande further capitalized on her potential and revealed a style all her own.

"Bang Bang," feat. Jessie J and Nikki Minaj
A dynamic and upbeat earworm of a track, "Bang Bang" was released on Grande's sophomore album and was not only vibrantly fun, but also a deft balance of three very distinct talents. Rapper Nicki Minaj's elastic, ever-unpredictable flow proves to be a surprisingly strong fit for British starlet Jessie J and Grande's thunderous pop singing.

"Into You"
From the slowly escalating, finger snap-esque percussion on the bridge, to the stratospheric synths on the chorus, this glossily produced second (and arguably best) single from Grande's latest album, Dangerous Woman, is as much a testament to Grande's ear as her voice, considering she picked an instrumental that's every bit as dynamic as her singing.

"Heatstroke," feat. Ariana Grande, Pharrell, Young Thug (produced by Calvin Harris)
Aside from her work on her own albums, Grande is also a talented guest performer, ceding the spotlight to fellow stars like Pharrell, and Young Thug on this track from EDM star Calvin Harris' recently released Funk Wav Bounces Vol. 1. That humility on Grande's part is admirable (wait, isn't she supposed to be a pop diva?), but she more than holds her own with a chorus that's showstopping yet gentle to the point of cooing. But above all, this track is noteworthy because it offers us a glimpse of the chemistry between Grande and Williams, who is said to play a major role on her next album.

"My Everything"
This ballad (from her eponymous sophomore album) was always noteworthy because it features the whole gamut of Grande's impressively wide vocal range. But it took on a timeless resonance at the One Love Manchester show, when grande joined a local school choir who had made a viral video shortly before that in an effort to raise money for the victims of the terrorist attack at Grande's earlier Manchester gig. The song begins not with the pop star, but with the students having the limelight all to themselves, and when Grande joins the youngsters, takes one of them by the hand, and sings along with them, there isn't a dry eye in the entire amphitheater. It's a moment of generosity, classiness and resiliency, setting Grande apart from her current pop peers.

Ariana Grande will perform at LeSports Center on August 26. Tickets range from RMB 380 to RMB 1,680.

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Email: kylemullin@truerun.com
Twitter: @MulKyle

Photos: Hollywood Life, Vibe, Fuse, BBC Music, Viral Flows, 2048