Ariana Grande ‘Clears The Air’ Amid Concern Over Her Weight

Ariana Grande addressed her planned break from public life during a concert Monday as some fans and media observers continued to voice concern about her health and her thin appearance.

Grande paused the first of three sold-out shows at the United Center to read a prepared statement from her phone.

The singer, who lives in Los Angeles, said speculation about her announcement had become exaggerated and emphasized that she had quietly planned the break well in advance.

“It was a decision that was made from a thoughtful and empowered place,” Grande said.

Grande's comments at her concert came after her representative over the weekend said that the 33-year-old performer intends to take "a step back from visibility" after her “Eternal Sunshine” tour concludes in about a month.

“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,” according to the statement published by People magazine.

The announcement came as producers confirmed Grande had withdrawn from a planned 2027 West End production of Stephen Sondheim’s “Sunday in the Park With George.” She had been scheduled to appear opposite Jonathan Bailey.

Online discussion about Grande’s health and appearance intensified following her recent breakup from “Wicked” co-star Ethan Slater, the tour and the Friday release of her eighth studio album, “Petal,” and its title-track music video.

Grande's thin appearance in the music video prompted particularly strong reactions, including from eating-disorder recovery advocate Charli Howard who wrote in an Instagram post that the singer's appearance was "not normal."

"What I see is someone in desperate need of hospitalisation and care, and while I know it’s often impossible to help someone at this stage of anorexia, there HAS to be an immediate intervention," Howard wrote.

Grande has previously expressed discomfort with public discourse around her weight, stating in a 2023 TikTok video, “I think we should be gentler and less comfortable commenting on people’s bodies, no matter what.”

During Monday’s concert, Grande said fans should not interpret the hiatus as evidence that criticism had diminished her experience on tour.

"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,” she told her fans.

The “Eternal Sunshine” tour is scheduled to close after a 10-show run at London’s O2 Arena on Sept. 1.

Material from the Associated Press was used in this report.