Ariana Grande has pulled out of a West End show and revealed she will be stepping back from the limelight amid increasing public scrutiny of her appearance and health.
The announcement comes as the pop singer and Wicked star’s current tour nears its end and follows the release two days ago of the music video for her new single Petal, from her latest album of the same name.
The video has been viewed more than eight million times on YouTube and amassed more than 54,000 comments – many of them about her weight loss and thinness.
A representative for Grande told People magazine she would be “taking a step back from visibility” after finishing the Eternal Sunshine Tour, which is scheduled to end in London at the start of next 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,” the representative was quoted as saying.
“This tour has been a beautiful experience for her. She loves her fans and has loved every minute of this tour so much.”
At the same time, the producers of the musical Sunday in the Park with George – in which Grande was set to make her West End debut alongside Wicked co-star and Bridgerton cast member Jonathan Bailey – released a statement saying the three-time Grammy winner had decided to “step back” from the production.
“We know this cannot have been an easy decision, and she makes it with our complete understanding and support. We wish her nothing but the best,” Empire Street Productions wrote on social media.
They said the show – featuring music by Stephen Sondheim – would still open at the Barbican in summer 2027 as planned, adding that “casting will be announced in due course”.
Although many of those commenting on Grande’s Petal video claim to be concerned for her health, much of the detailed scrutiny of her appearance and unsolicited health advice is brutal and inexorable.
“I feel like I’m in a Black Mirror episode. People chanting ‘Yes yes, go queen’ on one side and the others genuinely showing concern but being shrugged off or told off,” wrote one fan.
Among those who have spoken out over Grande’s appearance is British author and model and Charli Howard, who wrote on Instagram that the teams involved in releasing the music video “should be absolutely ashamed”.
“I think it’s vital we discuss imagery/videos/content like these and the damage they can – and will – have on women and girls,” Howard said.
In her 2024 song, Yes, And? from the Eternal Sunshine album, Grande addressed the scrutiny over her appearance, singing:
“My face is sitting, I don’t need no disguise. Don’t comment on my body, do not reply. Your business is yours and mine is mine.”
People quoted a source close to the singer as saying the Petal album was an anthem about her “love-hate relationship with the public and their toxicity”.
Grande’s current tour comprises more than 40 performances in the US, Canada and England, with the insider noting that “there is a lot of athleticism involved” in her shows.
“She performs healthily and successfully at a very high level night after night.”
–with AAP
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