When you are one of the most visible pop icons on the planet, control over your own story is a rare commodity. Ariana Grande made that abundantly clear during her Eternal Sunshine Tour stop at Chicago’s United Center on Monday night (Aug. 3), taking a moment mid-show to speak directly to her fans and set the record straight regarding her upcoming hiatus from public life.
The on-stage address followed an official statement released by Grande’s team on Sunday (Aug. 2), confirming that the 33-year-old superstar will step away from public-facing engagements once her tour concludes on Sept. 1. As part of that transition, Grande also confirmed her withdrawal from London’s West End revival of Stephen Sondheim’s Sunday in the Park With George, where she was slated to star alongside her Wicked castmate Jonathan Bailey next summer.
Addressing the audience, Grande bypassed the corporate press pipeline to deliver a heartfelt, unvarnished message. “Sometimes when a story comes out that’s not directly from me, things can get a little blown out of proportion,” she told the roaring crowd. “So I just wanted to speak to my fans directly tonight because I love you so much.”
Clarifying that her departure from the spotlight was not a knee-jerk reaction to recent tabloid commentary surrounding her appearance, Grande emphasized her agency in the decision. “The announcement that was made yesterday was not a reactive or impulsive thing,” she explained. “It is something that I had decided. It’s a plan that I had quietly made a long time ago, and it’s a decision that was made from a thoughtful and empowered place.”
She was equally adamant about dismissing the idea that public scrutiny had diminished her joy on the road. “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 f–k opposite,” Grande declared to massive applause. “Nothing has been ruined. Multiple things can be true at the same time. 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.”
Refusing to let online noise overshadow her achievements, Grande added, “The rest of that s–t is not mine to carry, so I don’t carry it.” She went on to describe the tour and the release of her newest studio album, Petal, as “the most healing, beautiful, corrective, magnificent, special experience of my life, and so has putting out Petal.”
The timing of her speech comes on the heels of major chart milestones. Released on July 31, Petal has already yielded a massive hit with lead single “Hate That I Made You Love Me,” which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. The track marks Grande’s 10th career leader, placing her in a tie for the 10th-most No. 1s in chart history. Meanwhile, the album’s title track arrived alongside a cinematic short film in which Grande cheekily wields a chainsaw against critics echoing real-world commentary about her looks.
With three more shows remaining in Chicago, Grande will soon head across the pond for a massive 10-night stand in London between Aug. 15 and Sept. 1 to close out the run. Beyond the stage, fans can look forward to her upcoming big-screen comedy role in Focker-in-Law, which lands in theaters on Nov. 25.
