4 Pop Stars Who Got Their Start on TV

Before they were selling out arenas or releasing chart-topping singles, many pop stars got their start on TV. While some Disney and Nickelodeon actors faded into oblivion after their days of childhood stardom, that couldn’t be less true for Ariana Grande, Miley Cyrus, Olivia Rodrigo, and Selena Gomez.

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The future pop stars were child actors first, a fact that likely helped to pave the way to their success. From Barney and Friends to Hannah Montana, there’s a good chance you watched one of the ladies in question before they hit it big.

Keep reading to learn about their start on TV.

Ariana Grande

Grande’s earliest role came not on TV, but on Broadway. She debuted in the show 13 to rave reviews. After that, though, Grande broke into the mainstream thanks to Nickelodeon.

She starred as Cat Valentine on Victorious alongside Victoria Justice and Avan Jogia. After that show wrapped its three year-run in 2013, Grande landed her own Nick series, Sam & Cat, which she starred in with Jennette McCurdy.

Sam & Cat ended in 2014, but Grande had already begun with her career pivot. She’d previously released her first single, “Put Your Hearts Up,” in 2011. Meanwhile, her debut LP, Yours Truly, dropped in 2013 and was an instant success. Since then, Grande has released hit after hit, even nabbing two GRAMMY Awards.

Miley Cyrus

Billy Ray Cyrus’ daughter got her start by starring alongside her dad on Disney Channel’s Hannah Montana. On the show, Cyrus played Miley Stewart, a girl who is a normal kid by day but performs as international superstar Hannah Montana by night.

While playing the part, Cyrus was already living a pop star dream, as she released music and toured as Hannah Montana. Cyrus’ debut album as herself, Meet Miley Cyrus, came out in 2007 at the height of her Hannah Montana fame. Breakout and Can’t Be Tamed followed in 2008 and 2010, respectively.

Cyrus’ first post-Hannah Montana album came with her 2013 release, Bangerz. Since then, Cyrus has reinvented herself as a pop star in her own right. She’s had Billboard Hot 100 No.1 hits with songs like “Wrecking Ball” and “Flowers,” and won three GRAMMY Awards for her work.

Olivia Rodrigo

After competing in local talent shows and landing a part in a commercial, Rodrigo’s first starring role came in the 2015 kids’ movie, An American Girl: Grace Stirs Up Success.

Her big break, however, came the following year when Rodrigo landed a role on Disney Channel’s Bizaardvark. She starred on the series from 2016 to 2019, but didn’t leave Disney when the show wrapped. Instead, Rodrigo scored the leading role on High School Musical: The Musical: The Series.

Rodrigo got her first chance to release music as part of the show, even penning a track, titled “All I Want,” for the series. Musically, her notable break came amid HSMTMTS when she dropped her first-ever single, “Drivers License.” Spurred on by the rumored real-life drama behind the lyrics, the song was a smash. She went on to release two well-received albums—Sour and Guts—and nab three GRAMMYs.

Selena Gomez

At just 10-years-old, Gomez got her start by starring on Barney and Friends. She went on to have several roles in projects such as Spy Kids 3 and The Suite Life of Zach and Cody, before landing her big break.

She nabbed the starring role in Disney Channel’s Wizards of Waverly Place, on which she played Alex Russo from 2007 to 2012. Within that time frame, Gomez released music as Selena Gomez & the Scene.

Gomez’s first grown up role came in the 2012 film Spring Breakers. After that, a career as a pop star commenced. Gomez released three albums between 2013 and 2020, and has twice been nominated for a GRAMMY Award.

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