Ariana Grande shocked the world when she chose to “take a step back from visibility” at the completion of her “Eternal Sunshine” tour, a decision that resulted in her exit from the West End revival of “Sunday in the Park with George.”
The move comes after the singer endured intense public scrutiny over her weight — with renewed online criticism following the release of her “Petal” music video Friday.
Page Six has spoken to multiple insiders who detail what led to her surprising decision to retreat from the public eye.
“She’s been happy performing her recent shows and being back on stage, but she’s been overworked,” a source exclusively told Page Six of Grande, whose “Eternal Sunshine” tour wraps up on Sept. 1. “She’s been nonstop and it’s taking a toll. She’s never handled the public scrutiny well and constant chatter about her weight [doesn’t help].”
A second insider claimed that Grande’s decision had less to do with her workload and more to do with the relentless attention surrounding her personal life and appearance.
“She’s been in a really good place on tour. She loves doing it and it’s been positive,” the second source said, emphasizing it was the “nonstop public scrutiny,” more than her schedule, that contributed to her decision to pull back.
The insider added that Grande’s choice to exit “Sunday in the Park with George” — which was set to open next summer — was “well thought out.”
A third source said the Grammy winner, 33, simply reached a point where she knew she needed to prioritize herself.
“She’s been working nonstop for a long time and finally got to a point where she realized she needed to give herself permission to step back for a while,” the insider told Page Six. “She’ll be spending time with her family and friends, with loved ones, and just enjoying some well-deserved downtime.”