Ariana Grande to pause public engagements after tour concludes
The singer will step back from appearances following the end of her Eternal Sunshine tour, citing ongoing scrutiny of her health, and will also withdraw from a West End production.
Ariana Grande will take a break from public-facing work after the final show of her Eternal Sunshine tour in London on September 1, her representative told People magazine. The spokesperson said Grande plans to rest after completing the tour, which she described as a "beautiful experience" and expressed gratitude toward her fans.
The pause will also include her withdrawal from the West End revival of Stephen Sondheim’s "Sunday in the Park with George," which was scheduled to open at the Barbican Centre next summer opposite Jonathan Bailey.
The announcement follows the release of Grande’s eighth studio album, "Petal," and its accompanying music video, which have sparked public discussion about the singer’s body and health. Body-positivity activist Charlotte Howard posted criticism of the video, stating that the imagery could be harmful to women and girls and calling for intervention.
Grande previously addressed comments about her appearance in a 2024 interview, saying she has been subject to scrutiny since her teens and urging people to refrain from commenting on others’ looks or health.
"I’ve been a specimen in a petri-dish since I was 17, so I’ve heard it all," Grande said in the interview. "I think in today’s society there’s a comfortability that we shouldn’t have, at all, commenting on others’ looks, appearance… what they think is going on ‘behind the scenes’ or health or how they present themselves. I think it’s dangerous, for both parties involved."