Nickelodeon Star Channels Whitney's 'I Believe'

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Ariana Grande, star of Nickelodeon's hit show Victorious, is having quite the year after her single The Way shot to No. 1 in the iTunes store hours after being released in late March, and she's set to star in her own spinoff series in the fall! ET Canada caught up with the star to get an update on her busy career and discuss the phenomenal success of her big hit song.

"It's a song that I was recording smiling," recalls Ariana abut recording The Way. "I was singing it the whole time with a massive, embarrassingly big smile across my face."

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Ariana's powerful voice has been compared by critics to Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston and the 19-year-old singer/actress said she finds it unbelievable to be mentioned along with such music legends. "I'm so flattered, I can't even believe my name is being used in the same sentence, it's crazy," she said.

Her career was launched three years ago when Ariana landed her Victorious role of Cat Valentine, the character she's set to reprise on Nickelodeon's upcoming spinoff  show Sam & Cat -- in which she'll team up with iCarly star Jennette McCurdy (Sam Puckett). The star has nearly 6 million Twitter followers and says social media platforms are a way for her to maintain "an intimate friendship" with her fans.

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Check out her latest video below -- in which Ariana covers the Whitney Houston song I Believe in You and Me in a special tribute to the late pop star!