Ariana Grande Is ‘Taking a Step Back’ From Public Life

Ariana Grande is “taking a step back from visibility” once her Eternal Sunshine Tour ends, 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,” her rep said.

This decision follows recent public speculation regarding Grande’s health and physical appearance both onstage as well as in her music video for “Petal.” A source close to the singer defended the artist’s health, saying that the show is “very physical.” “She performs a very physical show, and there is a lot of athleticism involved,” they said. “She performs healthily and successfully at a very high level night after night.” 

The seven-minute long “Petal” video dramatizes the downsides of fame, pulled imagery from popular horror films like The Substance and Pearl. The first single from her album Pearl, “Hate That I Made You Love Me,” also expressed ambivalence about fame and living in the spotlight.

As part of her break, Grande will no longer be appearing in Sunday in the Park With George in the West End with her Wicked co-star Jonathan Bailey. She also recently dropped out of American Horror Story season 13 due to scheduling conflicts with the Eternal Sunshine Tour. It’s currently unclear whether she’ll appear on the press tour for Focker-in-Law ahead of its Thanksgiving Day release.