Ariana Grande Explains Her Choice To ‘Step Back’ During Concert

Pop star Ariana Grande is stepping away from the public following her body being heavily scrutinized after making her music comeback.

The 33-year-old songstress personally addressed her upcoming hiatus during the Chicago stop of her Eternal Sunshine Tour on Monday, August 3.

“The announcement that was made yesterday was not a reactive or impulsive thing. It is something that I had decided to plan,” Grande shared with concertgoers, stating that she decided the plan “quietly, a long time ago.”

Grande denied that “negativity” was “ruining things for her,” stating, “No matter what noises exist out there, nothing will be able to distort my reality or be more real to me or not as real to me as this love that we share.” 

She concluded with, “That felt good. I wish that words were enough to articulate how much I love you,” then continued with the show.

Over the weekend, Grande’s representatives told People that the singer-actress will be taking a step back as public scrutiny intensifies over her weight and appearance. After her Eternal Sunshine tour wraps in London on September 1, the singer will be stepping away from the public eye.

“Ariana will be taking a step from visibility after she completes the Eternal Sunshine Tour,” a representative for Grande told People. “She looks forward to finishing the tour and ending it on a high note, both healthily and happily, and then taking a much-deserved break from public-facing work and appearances, which has led to endless, ongoing public scrutiny.”

The rep continued, “This tour has been a beautiful experience for her. She loves her fans and has loved every minute of this tour so much.”

In addition to taking a break from the public eye, Grande will no longer appear in the West End revival of Stephen Sondheim’s Sunday in the Park with George.

Grande’s physical appearance and overall health have been a topic of public discussion, and the release of her music video for the title track “Petal” has sparked even more concerns online about her health.

In a clip from the video, Grande is seen auditioning before a panel of men in an office wearing a “Grease” inspired outfit. The scene quickly sparked online debate, with many viewers sharing their concerns while others defended Grande against the discussion of her body and speculation about her health.

One viewer on YouTube commented, “I hope she’s okay. And public concern is NOT the same as public scrutiny. Her team is nuts for getting those confused.” Another viewer commented, “It’s not about wanting the old Ariana back, It’s about wanting her to be healthy.”

Grande has addressed public comments concerning her weight and body scrutiny back in 2023, explaining that while people may have good intentions, people should be less comfortable commenting on people’s bodies.

 “Personally for me, the body that you’ve been comparing my current body to was the unhealthiest version of my body,” Grande posted on TikTok at the time. “I was on a lot of antidepressants and drinking on them and eating poorly and at the lowest point of my life when I looked the way you consider my healthy. But, that in fact wasn’t my healthy.” 

While public discussion surrounding Grande’s appearance is not new, she is not the only celebrity to spark public discourse online, as some celebrities have also undergone major body transformations, like Lizzo.