ARIANA Grande stopped her concert in Chicago last night to address her fans following the news she’ll take a step back from public life after her current tour.
The 33-year-old is halfway through her Eternal Sunshine world tour and her reps confirmed this week a “much-deserved” break when it wraps in September.
During her show last night, Ariana read out a statement from her phone and said: “The announcement that was made yesterday was not a reactive or impulsive thing.
“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, and I want you to know that many, many things can be true at the same time.
“I want to share this because I heard that my fans were worried that negativity was ruining things for me.”
Ariana continued: “This is not what that is and I just want to make that very, very clear. Nothing can be 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.”
Yesterday her reps said: “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.
“This tour has been a beautiful experience for her. She loves her fans and has loved every minute of this tour so much.”
It has been confirmed Ariana will no longer star in the West End revival of Sunday in the Park With George which was set to open next summer.
And she will not appear on the red carpet with Robert De Niro and her other co-stars to promote their new movie Focker-in-Law.
The three-time Grammy winner’s decision to step back comes amid speculation and comments over her appearance, with one online activist claiming the singer was “possibly dying right in front of us”.