What are Ariana Grande’s Myers-Briggs and Enneagram Personality Types?

Pint-sized pop powerhouse Ariana Grande is one of the most famous and respected singers of our time. The pop and R&B star has won numerous awards for her work, including two Grammy awards and three American Music Awards. She is the most followed female on Instagram and Spotify, and has been called “the first female pop diva of the streaming generation.” 

But who is Ariana Grande, really? Based on her observable traits, Ariana is likely an Enneagram 9 and ESFJ personality type. Read on to discover more about her personality. 

Enneagram Type 9 “The Peacemaker” 

Type Nines are motivated by a desire for inner and outer harmony, and to avoid conflict and emotional disturbances. In many ways, Ariana Grande represents these traits and other characteristics of the Nine. She’s talked openly about the struggles she has with her personal trauma and difficult emotions, and how she’s often used her work as a distraction. Like other Nines, Ariana has a calm, mellow energy and is generally liked by most people. 

Type 9: Outer Traits 

• Social chameleons. They can adapt to the group dynamic and easily get along with most people. However, if not careful, they can lose their sense of identity in the process. Ariana talks about this happening to her in the past, “I worked with someone who told me they'd never like me. But for some reason, I just felt like I needed her approval,” she said. “So I started changing myself to please her.”
• Seek rest and relaxation. At average health levels, Nines tend to run away from conflicts and problems and seek a cozy retreat from the world around them. Ariana says her favorite Disney princess is Sleeping Beauty “because she's just sleeping and looking pretty and waiting for boys to come kiss her. Sounds like a good life — lots of naps.” 
• Mellow and soothing voice. With her wide vocal range and silky smooth singing voice, Ariana is a powerhouse pop performer. Her speaking voice is soft and well-modulated. 

Type 9: Inner Experiences 

• Focus on self-growth. When self-actualized, Nines can develop a strong sense of ambition and use their energy to improve their lives and the world around them. Though she admits to sometimes avoiding “putting in the work,” Ariana says, “I have this idea of what I’d like to be. I can see this stronger, amazing, fearless version of myself that one day I hope to evolve into. Sometimes I try to be that for my fans before I actually am that myself.” 
• Apathetic and self-critical. At lower levels of health, Nines lose energy and focus and become extremely self-critical. They often escape into distractions to avoid feeling heavy emotions. When discussing a particularly low period of her life, Ariana said, “For a long time I didn’t want to talk to anyone about anything, because I didn’t want to think about anything. I kind of just wanted to bury myself in work and not focus on the real stuff.”
• Prioritize maintaining inner peace. For someone with Ariana’s level of fame, it’s impossible to avoid the spotlight. But as a Nine, she seeks inner peace by using a persona that protects her from the outside world. She says, “I like having my funny character that I play, that feels like this exaggerated version of myself. It protects me.”

TypeFinder Personality: ESFJ 

E: Bubbly and outgoing, Ariana is likely an Extravert. She is outspoken about her candid behaviors being viewed as a bad thing and being labeled a “diva” because of them. “Because I have an opinion about something... or if I have something to say regarding a choice that’s being made with my career... It always was in the past manipulated and turned into this negative thing.”

S: Ariana is down-to-earth and prefers to focus directly on what’s happening around her rather than getting caught up in possibilities and ideas. Many of her real-life experiences influence her art. Her close friend and producer, Tommy Brown, says of Grande’s Thank U, Next album: “That album is so real because Ari makes her music in the real-time of what’s happening in her life.”

F: Like other ESFJs, Ariana is a deep feeler and easily impacted by the emotions around her. “She has a way of taking on everyone’s pain,” her mother, Joan Grande, says. “She functions really beautifully, but when she has to laser herself to those heartbreaking moments, I don’t think she can find anything but tears.” 

J: A self-described “perfectionist,” Ariana is loyal, hard-working and values structure. These traits are commonly found in Judging personality types. When it comes to her work ethic, Ariana says, “I'm trying to channel super-confident women like Alicia Keys, Mariah Carey and Beyonce, because I realized that if you want something, you really have to go for it, just like they do.” 

Cognitive Functions 

Fe: Warm and empathetic, Ariana’s dominant function is likely Extraverted Feeling. The artist cares about the opinions and emotions of other people and takes these into account when making decisions. “One of the most terrible feelings in the world is knowing that someone else doesn't like you,” she said.  

Si: Due to her Introverted Sensing function, Ariana values tradition and is deeply influenced by the past. From her on-stage persona to her fashion choices, she is largely inspired by icons like Audrey Hepburn and Judy Garland. She’s said of growing up with these influences, “Every day, my mom and I would watch a different Judy Garland VHS. I love how she tells a story when she sings. It was just about her voice and the words she was singing. I would stand in front of the TV and mimic her body movements. I was always fascinated.”

Ne: Ariana also possesses a deep and spiritual side, commonly seen in types with Extraverted Intuition. She’s spoken openly about the benefits of Kabbalah, meditation and manifestation. She blends her interest in the abstract with her real-world experiences, which she expresses in her music. When asked about Grande, her friend Miley Cyrus said, “She has always shared her experiences with this beautiful blend of reality and the fantasy that pop culture requires.” 

Ti: Ariana is not afraid to be blunt and speak out about the things she believes in. This is a common trait among people with Introverted Thinking. However, as this is her inferior function, Ariana can sometimes get easily influenced by other people and overwhelmed by all of the things that matter to her. She advocates for a variety of causes including March for Our Lives, Black Lives Matter and LGBTQ rights. 

More Facts About ESFJs: 

• ESFJs make up 12% of the general population 
• Highest of all types in reported satisfaction with their marriage or intimate relationship
• Most likely of all types to be satisfied with their co-workers
• Among the types most satisfied with their work
• Other famous ESFJs include Martha Stewart and Jennifer Garner