Ariana Grande will curtail public appearances after her current world tour wraps up in September, citing “endless, ongoing public scrutiny” as a reason for her “much-needed break,” according to a statement issued on her behalf.
Grande, 33, who is in Chicago for her Eternal Sunshine Tour, “will be taking a step back from visibility” after the tour concludes in London, a representative for the singer said on Sunday.
“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 said.
Empire Street Productions, an independent production company, confirmed in a statement on social media on Sunday that Grande would no longer star in the new stage production of Stephen Sondheim’s “Sunday in the Park With George,” which is set to open next year at the Barbican Center in London.
“We know this cannot have been an easy decision, and she makes it with our complete understanding and support,” Empire Street Productions said. “We wish her nothing but the best.”
The company added that the production would continue as planned.
Grande, an actress as well as a pop star, has faced increasing scrutiny about her weight loss, with images of and headlines about her splashed across tabloids and social media.
She released her eighth studio album, “Petal,” on July 31, which trades her signature effervescence for something darker and more brooding as she appears dissatisfied with the invasive nature of fame.
