Ariana Grande tells fans break was planned long ago

Ariana Grande spoke out about her planned break from the spotlight, telling fans that she decided a while ago to step away.

Grande spoke to her fans during her concert in Chicago on Monday.

“The announcement that was made yesterday was not a reactive or impulsive thing,” she told the crowd, according to CNN. “It is something that I had decided to plan… a long time ago.”

She said she made the decision “from a thoughtful and empowered place.”

“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… opposite,” Grande shared. “Boundaries do need to be set, human beings can need a break sometimes.”

“No matter what noises exist out there, nothing will ever be able to distort my reality, or be more real to me or louder to me than this love that we share,” she added. “I love you.”

The concert was part of her Eternal Sunshine Tour, which is scheduled to end in London on Sept. 1, CNN reported.

News of her pause was initially shared by a representative for the 33-year-old singer and actress, who told People magazine that “Ariana will be taking a step back from visibility after she completes the Eternal Sunshine Tour.”

“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 said. “This tour has been a beautiful experience for her. She loves her fans and has loved every minute of this tour so much.”

Along with stepping away from the spotlight, Grande will not appear in “Sunday in the Park with George” with her “Wicked” costar Jonathan Bailey next year, People reported.

Her upcoming film “Focker-in-Law” will be released on Nov. 25. She stars with Ben Stiller and Robert De Niro in the latest installment of the “Meet the Parents” franchise.

0 of 27

©2026 Cox Media Group