Last Sunday, a spokesperson for actor and singer-songwriter Ariana Grande announced the artist would be stepping back from public view for a while when her Eternal Sunshine Tour ends on September 1, 2026 at The O2 Arena in London, England.
The announcement cited the "endless, ongoing public scrutiny" about her health and physical appearance.
Then at her concert stop in Chicago, Illinois, Grande spoke to the audience about her need for some privacy after being constantly subject to other people's opinions about her body since debuting on Broadway in 2008.
In late 2025, Grande shared an old interview clip to address body shaming, but self-described "concerned fans" went in on every attempt by Grande and her team to ask for some space.
Now her older sibling Frankie is weighing in on Instagram to support her again. A decade older, Frankie shares the same mother and a love for performing, and has been a reality TV staple as well as working as an actor, singer, dancer, and producer on television, in movies, and on and off Broadway. He's currently starring in a dual role on Broadway in the parody musical Titanique.
In an Instagram post featuring concert footage of Ariana, Frankie Grande wrote:
"Family forever. I will have your back until the end of time. I am so proud of you and so happy for you. Last night was a beautiful celebration of your artistry and the magnificent eternal sunshine family you have built and created."
"It was a magical night. You are magical. You are my everything and I am so so happy I was there to see you shine on this tour one last time."
You can see the post here:
Some people showed up in the comments to write "if you really loved her..." messages while making assumptions about Grande's health, like those made when Chadwick Boseman was fighting cancer and Selena Gomez was dealing with lupus and kidney failure.
While some fans are capable of maintaining appropriate boundaries with a literal stranger they don't personally know, others believe they're entitled to know every star's full medical history and find body shaming an appropriate expression of concern.
But plenty of fans displayed how to be supportive without making uninformed judgements.
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After her tour ended, Grande was originally slated to appear in the West End revival of Stephen Sondheim’s Sunday in the Park with George. Producers have not yet announced a replacement casting choice.
Neither Ariana Grande nor her spokesperson gave a timeframe for the artist's retreat from public scrutiny. Hopefully she gets the peaceful rest she desires and deserves after spending almost 18 straight years in the spotlight.
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