Topline<\/p>\n
Ariana Grande acknowledged her decision to step back from the public eye onstage in Chicago Monday night, telling fans her choice, which her representatives previously credited to \u201cendless, ongoing public scrutiny,\u201d was not \u201creactive or impulsive\u201d and that “boundaries” need to be set.<\/p>\n
Ariana Grande is set to perform three shows in Chicago this week. (Photo by JC Olivera\/WWD via Getty Images)<\/p>\n
WWD via Getty ImagesKey Facts<\/p>\n
Grande made a brief speech during her Chicago concert, her first appearance since she announced over the weekend she would take a break once her tour wraps up, acknowledging<\/a> the public reaction to her announcement was \u201ca little blown out of proportion.\u201d<\/p>\n Grande said she \u201cquietly\u201d made a plan to take a break \u201ca long time ago,\u201d adding she heard her fans were \u201cworried that negativity was ruining things for me,\u201d a possible reference to a reignited internet debate over Grande\u2019s health and appearance.<\/p>\n The singer said no matter \u201cwhat noises exist out there, nothing will ever be able to distort my reality or be more real to me or elaborate to me\u201d than her relationship to her fans.<\/p>\n Grande said it is both true that boundaries \u201cneed to be set\u201d and she can need a break while acknowledging she is going through the \u201cgreatest experience of my professional and creative life.\u201d<\/p>\n Grande\u2019s speech came days after her representatives told People<\/a> on Sunday she will take a \u201cstep back from visibility\u201d after her tour concludes next month, citing \u201cendless, ongoing public scrutiny,\u201d also dropping out of an upcoming London production of \u201cSunday in the Park With George.\u201d<\/p>\n Grande has two more shows in Chicago this week before she performs a string of ten concerts in London, ending the tour on Sept. 1.<\/p>\n news peg<\/p>\n Grande\u2019s representatives told People<\/a> on Sunday the singer-actress \u201clooks 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.\u201d The representative said the \u201ctour has been a beautiful experience for her,\u201d adding Grande \u201cloves her fans and has loved every minute of this tour so much.\u201d After People reported Grande\u2019s statement, the official X account for the London revival of \u201cSunday in the Park With George,” in which Grande was set to star, confirmed she dropped out of the production. \u201cWe know this cannot have been an easy decision, and she makes it with our complete understanding and support,\u201d the post<\/a> says. <\/p>\n Why Is Grande Stepping Back From Visibility?<\/p>\n Grande\u2019s representatives did not offer more specifics about the public scrutiny she faces, nor did \u201cSunday in the Park With George\u201d offer a reason for her departure. But fans and commentators online have speculated the scrutiny Grande referred to has to do with her appearance and apparent weight loss, which has fueled rampant online debate in recent years. Over the weekend, discussion about Grande\u2019s appearance reignited on social media after she released the music video for \u201cPetal.\u201d The top comment on the \u201cPetal\u201d video, liked more than 62,000 times on YouTube<\/a>, says: \u201cIt\u2019s not about wanting the old Ariana back. It\u2019s about wanting her to be healthy.\u201d Some celebrities also expressed concern. Multiple tabloid outlets reported<\/a> actress Jameela Jamil called Grande\u2019s appearance \u201cdangerous\u201d in an Instagram comment that appears to be deleted, calling out her team for allegedly not intervening. In a post<\/a> on X, conservative commentator Meghan McCain called Grande\u2019s appearance \u201cvery, VERY sad and she clearly needs help immediately.\u201d Grande has previously addressed critics of her appearance and weight, saying in a 2023 TikTok post<\/a> \u201cwe should be gentler and less comfortable commenting on people\u2019s bodies no matter what.\u201d Grande said her body from years prior was the \u201cunhealthiest version of my body,\u201d noting she was on antidepressants and drinking alcohol at the time. Other aspects of Grande\u2019s personal life have been frequent subjects of discussion in tabloids and on social media, including her relationship to and breakup from \u201cWicked\u201d actor Ethan Slater, as well as speculation that her speaking voice has changed.<\/p>\n key background<\/p>\n Grande\u2019s decision to step back from visibility comes days after she released a new album, \u201cPetal,\u201d which critics have said appears to address her dissatisfaction with fame and scrutiny. Some critics have suggested<\/a> the album\u2019s lead single, \u201cHate That I Made You Love Me,\u201d may actually be about obsessive fans rather than a lover. Billboard\u2019s<\/a> critic said the album is \u201cpretty much a manicured middle finger aimed directly at the public,\u201d while Pitchfork<\/a> noted the album contains lines like, \u201cAll that sh-t talk keeps me well-fed.\u201d<\/p>\n further reading<\/p>\n Ariana Grande to Step Away From Public Life After Tour Ends<\/a> (New York Times)<\/p>\n