Ariana Grande Assures Fans Her 'Step Back' From the Spotlight Was Not 'Impulsive' in 4-Minute Speech Amid Vast Concern for Singer's Health

Ariana Grande paused her Monday, August 3, concert in Chicago to clarify her plans about taking a "step back" from the spotlight following the conclusion of her Eternal Sunshine Tour.

The 33-year-old singer started, "It's been blown out of proportion, and I just wanted to speak to my fans directly tonight because I love you so much. It means a lot to you. And it means a lot to me...I'd like to just clear the air," per a video shared to X.

Grande continued to deliver the four-minute speech that she had written out on her phone, stating: "The announcement that was made yesterday was not a reactive or an impulsive thing. It is something that I had decided to plan quietly a long time ago, and it's a decision that came from a thoughtful and empowered place."

"And I want you to know that many, many things can be true at the same time," she added. "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 than the opposite."

"Multiple things can be true at the same time. Boundaries can need to be set. Human beings can need a break sometimes," went on.

Grande told her fans that the tour "will continue to be the greatest experience of my professional and creative life," insisting that "no matter what noises exist out there, nothing there will ever be able to distort my reality or be more real to me than this love that we share."

"I love you, and this is what I will always choose to carry," she said, gesturing towards her fans. "The rest of that s--- is not mine to carry, so I don't carry."

"I needed to get that out there and differentiate that from my truth...That felt good," she concluded before continuing her performance at United Center.

Over the weekend, a rep for the Grammy winner told People that she will be “taking a step back from visibility” when her Eternal Sunshine Tour ends.

“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 spokesperson explained, referencing continued online concern for Grande’s weight after the release of her "Petal" music video.

An insider explained that the project highlights Grande’s complicated relationship with fame, noting, "This album is a fight song, an anthem about the love-hate relationship with the public and their toxicity."

The "Petal" music video now has almost 70,000 comments.

"It’s not about wanting the old Ariana back. It’s about wanting her to be healthy," wrote one worried fan. Another said, "I can't even enjoy the video without thinking she looks sickly every second she is on the screen."

Many others expressed similar concerns for the singer.