Ariana Grande Plans To Retreat From Spotlight As Her Appearance Fuels Speculation

Singer Ariana Grande plans to step back from the public spotlight after wrapping up her “Eternal Sunshine” tour next month, with her representative citing relentless public scrutiny as the reason. 

“Ariana will be taking a step back from visibility after she completes the Eternal Sunshine Tour,” a statement from the rep 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,” the statement continued. “This tour has been a beautiful experience for her. She loves her fans and has loved every minute of this tour so much.”

Grande will also no longer be appearing in the West End revival of the Broadway show “Sunday in the Park with George,” as People reported.

Fans have been commenting on social media frequently about Grande’s appearance, saying she looks thinner than she has in the past and speculating on whether she has an eating disorder. These conversations really took off following the press tour for the movie “Wicked.” 

The singer has addressed comments about her body in the past, notoriously calling out those who voiced concern in her song “Yes, And?” from her 2024 album “Eternal Sunshine.”

Those lyrics say: “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.”

Many fans interpreted lyrics from her recent single “Petal” as addressing the ongoing scrutiny. 

“But I don’t need someone to save me / ‘Cause this music and I will never die,” the lyrics of the song say. “This is not a cry for help / A couple million for my thoughts, I’ve got plenty / But I am not the victim / B*tch, I’m practically drowning in my blessings.”

One of the top comments on the video says, “It’s not about wanting the old Ariana back. It’s about wanting her to be healthy.”

As concern over Grande’s appearance has grown online, some fans have drawn comparisons to singer Karen Carpenter, who died in 1983 from heart failure caused by complications of anorexia nervosa.