Why is Ariana Grande going on hiatus? Singer addresses her break amid concerns about her health and public scrutiny
Singer Ariana Grande has finally dispelled all rumours about her upcoming hiatus from the limelight. With her team stating that she was set to take time off after completing her Eternal Sunshine tour, many worried that all the negativity she had endured in the public eye had finally worn her down. Ever since she released new music for Petal earlier last week, fans have been worried about the singer-actor and her health. But Ariana has come out to clarify that her decision to take a break had nothing to do with any of the current conversations about her physical transformation, and was instead carefully planned beforehand.
Ariana Grande reacts to her break
On Monday, Ariana took a couple of minutes to clear things up during her Eternal Sunshine performance in Chicago’s United Centre. The 33-year-old performer delivered an emotional four-minute speech to explain how long she had been planning the move.
“The announcement that was made yesterday was not a reactive or impulsive thing,” she told the audience. “It is something that I had decided to plan… quietly, a long time ago, and it’s a decision that was made from a thoughtful and empowered place.”
She acknowledged that people tend to jump to conclusions if they hear news not from her personally but through official statements. She wanted the public to understand that the story they had heard was incomplete.
She also addressed concerns that the negativity surrounding her appearance and health had led her to take time away. “I heard that my fans were worried that negativity was ruining things for me, but I just have to say that could not be more the f**king opposite,” she added, “Nothing has been ruined. Multiple things can be true at the same time. Boundaries need to be set. Human beings can need a break sometimes. And also, this can be and will continue to be the greatest experience of my professional and creative life.”
Ariana Grande says fans and music matter more
However, while speaking to the people of Chicago, Ariana made it clear that the love she receives from her fans continues to overshadow everything else. “No matter what noises exist out there, nothing will ever be able to distort my reality or be more real to me… than this love that we share,” she told the audience who were present at her concert.
Speaking about the Eternal Sunshine tour as being “the most healing, beautiful, corrective, magnificent, and special experience of my life,” she clarified to her fans that this time away from the spotlight is just an opportunity for her to rest and that she is not leaving forever. “The rest of that s— is not mine to carry, so I don’t carry it,” she concluded.
Why Ariana Grande decided to step back
Ariana’s statement follows the announcement made the previous day by her representative that she would “take a step back from visibility” after her tour comes to an end on September 1. Also at that time, she backed out of what was supposed to be the West End revival of Sondheim’s musical Sunday in the Park with George, where she was supposed to perform alongside Jonathan Bailey, who starred in her other musical, Wicked.
According to her spokesperson, the hiatus is simply a much-needed breather after a series of demanding days at work. It was mentioned that she wants to complete her tour “in good health and happy” before taking a “well-deserved break from public appearances and activities, which have caused continuous scrutiny in the public domain.” It was also mentioned that there have been great physical demands on touring, as she has been “performing well and successfully at a very high level every night.”
About Ariana Grande’s tour
The concert tour will conclude on September 1 after Ariana Grande finishes her shows in Chicago, then makes her way to London for the last 10 concerts.
It is also worth noting that the announcement of her break was made just days after her eighth studio album, Petal, was released on July 31. In her description of her album, Ariana stated that it was written out of unfiltered rage, with several tracks that address her feelings about fame, judgment, and living under scrutiny. In the music video for her song Petal, these sentiments are captured, especially when she is judged for her looks all the time.
