Ariana Grande is reportedly stepping back from public life after becoming “overworked”.
The singer, 33, is set to reduce her public profile after completing her Eternal Sunshine tour, according to statements from her representatives and sources cited by Page Six.
The outlet is now reporting the decision follows Ariana’s hectic work schedule.
Their claim comes after confirmation Ariana has withdrawn from the planned West End revival of Sunday in the Park with George, in which she had been due to star opposite her Wicked co-star Jonathan Bailey at London’s Barbican Centre.
It also comes after renewed online discussion surrounding Ariana’s appearance following the release of her Petal music video.
The Grammy-winning singer and actress has remained one of the entertainment industry’s biggest names following the success of Wicked, in which she starred as Glinda alongside Cynthia Erivo, under director Jon M. Chu.
Away from film, Ariana is best known for chart-topping albums including Thank U, Next, Sweetener and Eternal Sunshine, as well as her breakthrough role in Nickelodeon’s Victorious.
A source told Page Six: “She’s been happy performing her recent shows and being back on stage, but she’s been overworked.
“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 source told the outlet Ariana’s decision was driven less by work commitments than by sustained public attention.
Its source added: “She’s been in a really good place on tour. She loves doing it and it’s been positive.
“It was the nonstop public scrutiny, more than her schedule, that contributed to her decision to pull back.”
The same source said Ariana’s decision to leave Sunday in the Park with George “was well thought out”.
A third source told Page Six: “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.
“She’ll be spending time with her family and friends, with loved ones, and just enjoying some well-deserved downtime.”
The source continued: “Walking away from Sunday in the Park with George wasn’t an easy decision at all.
“She went back and forth over it because she was genuinely excited about it, but in the end she felt it was the right decision for where she is at this point in her life.
“Right now there isn’t some set timeline for when she’ll be back. She’s just taking things one step at a time and isn’t putting pressure on herself to make those decisions yet.”
The insider went on: “As far as what led to this decision, it wasn’t one specific incident.
“Between everything she’s taken on over the past few years and all the attention that’s been on her lately, she felt it was finally time to slow down and put herself first for a while.”
The source also said Ariana had been “really touched by all the love and support she’s received and is incredibly grateful for it”.
Representatives for Ariana did not immediately respond to Page Six’s request for comment.
But her representative had confirmed to People that she intends to take a break from public-facing work after the tour concludes.
The spokesperson 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.”
Producers of Sunday in the Park with George also confirmed Ariana’s departure in a statement shared on the production’s official X account.
They said: “Following this evening’s announcement from Ariana Grande’s team, we can confirm that she has decided to step back from Sunday in the Park with George.
“We know this cannot have been an easy decision, and she makes it with our complete understanding and support.
“We wish her nothing but the best.”
The announcement follows months of discussion on social media about Ariana’s appearance, including renewed commentary after the release of her Petal music video.
Ariana has previously addressed body-shaming publicly, describing such comments as “really dangerous” during a tearful interview in 2024 and saying it was “hard to protect (her)self from that noise”.
