Ariana Grande to take a break from public life amid 'endless' scrutiny
The US singer, 33, will "step back from visibility" at the end of her world tour next month, her representative says.
Ariana Grande is set to step away from public life, including withdrawing from public appearances and a planned London musical, due to "endless, ongoing public scrutiny."
A representative for the 33-year-old American singer informed People magazine that Grande will "be taking a step back from visibility" after her Eternal Sunshine tour concludes next month. This decision comes as her public appearances have drawn significant attention.
Empire Street Productions, the company behind a 2027 revival of Stephen Sondheim's "Sunday in the Park with George" at the Barbican, confirmed Grande's departure from the production, expressing their "complete understanding and support."
Grande's physical appearance and health have been subjects of public discussion for several years, with speculation intensifying following the release of her new album, "Petal," two days ago, and its accompanying promotional materials.
Her representative emphasized to People that Grande aims to finish her tour "on a high note, both healthily and happily," before taking a "much-deserved break from public-facing work and appearances, which has led to endless, ongoing public scrutiny." They added, "She performs a very physical show, and there is a lot of athleticism involved. She performs healthily and successfully at a very high level night after night."
The final show of her tour is scheduled for September 1st in London.
The "Thank U, Next" and "7 Rings" singer was slated to co-star with her "Wicked" castmate, British actor Jonathan Bailey, in the new production of Sondheim's acclaimed 1984 musical.
A representative for Empire Street Productions confirmed to the BBC that the musical will proceed without Grande. "Following this evening's announcement from Ariana Grande's team, we can confirm that she has decided to step back from Sunday in the Park with George," they stated. "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."
A replacement for Grande in the West End revival of the Pulitzer Prize-winning musical has not yet been announced. The BBC has reached out to Grande's representatives for comment.
The scrutiny surrounding Grande's appearance was reignited with the release of the music video for her latest single, "Petal," from the album of the same name. In the video, Grande portrays a performer who faces repeated criticism in auditions, being told she is "not good enough," "desperate," and that she "should get some work done" before being told she has "too much work done." The character ultimately confronts her critics with a chainsaw.