Ariana Grande released her new album petal last Friday, but widespread public concern about the star's health and appearance has been louder than any reaction to the music. For several years, Grande has looked emaciated, potentially to the point of danger, and that impression has only grown since the launch of her Eternal Sunshine tour and since she shared her video for "petal," her new album's title track. Over the weekend, Grande's reps said that she would take "a step back from visibility" after the end of her tour. At her show in Chicago on Monday night, she gave a speech about it.
In a statement to People, Grande's reps said, "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." As a result, she has pulled out of plans to perform in a revival of Stephen Sondheim's musical Sundays In The Park With George on London's West End next year.
Grande's ongoing tour her first in seven years, kicked off a three-night stand at Chicago's United Center last night. The remaining two gigs will be the last North American stops on the tour, and then she'll do ten nights at London's O2 Arena, ending Sep. 1. During last night's Chicago show, Grande paused to read a personal statement from her phone. She mostly talked about loving her fans and about the fulfilling experience of her current tour.
In her speech, Grande did not directly mention her own health or appearance. Instead, Grande stressed the idea that "negativity" has not impacted her ability to enjoy the tour: "Nothing has been ruined." She said that her decision to take a step back form performance was "not a reactive or impulsive thing" but that the plan, which she said she "quietly made a long time ago," was made "from a thoughtful and empowered place." She continued, "Yes, boundaries, can need to be set. Human beings can need a break sometimes. And also, this [tour] can be and will continue to be the greatest experience of my professional and creative life."
Grande's fans cheered the whole statement loudly, and Grande herself appeared moved by that support. The speech itself was sort of maddeningly non-specific, but that's probably to be expected. Here's the full text of what she said, minus the bits where the crowd noise made her words indecipherable.
Is it OK if we get a little real tonight? I wrote down my thoughts because I didn't want to get nervous and forget…
I just want to say sometimes when a story comes out that's not directly from me, things can get a little blown out of proportion. So I just want to speak to my fans directly tonight because I love you so much, and it means a lot to me to have the ability to let you know how I'm feeling and not let the world decide and project…
So basically, the announcement that was made yesterday was not a reactive or impulsive thing. It is something that I had decided to plan, that I had quietly made a long time ago. And it's a decision that was from a thoughtful and empowered place. And I want to know that many things can be true at the same time.
I want to share this because 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 fuck opposite.
Honestly, this is not what that is. And I just want to be very, very clear. Nothing has been ruined. Multiple things can be true at the same time. Yes, boundaries, can 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…
I have one more thing to say. No matter what noises exist out there, nothing will ever be able to distort my reality or be more real to me or louder to me than this love that we share in this room and how it feels to make art with the people that I love and respect. Absolutely nothing could change that...
I love you, and this is what I will always take with me and carry with me. Because the rest of that shit is not mine to carry, so I don’t carry it, and I don't need you to carry it for me. I needed to get out here and differentiate that from my truth for you all because I love you and this tour has been the most healing, beautiful, corrective, magnificent, special experience of my life. And so has putting out petal. It's been extraordinary.
And here's one of many videos:
Grande's next performance is Wednesday night in Chicago. We can only hope that this break will be good for her.
