Ariana Grande Pauses Concert to Address Upcoming Break From Public Eye

As rumors and public opinion swirled following the announcement that Ariana Grande would be taking a “step back” after the end of her current tour, the singer took to the stage on Monday night to speak to her fans directly.

During her Eternal Sunshine stop at the United Center in Chicago, Grande paused the performance to “clear the air about a few things.”

“Sometimes when a story comes out that’s not directly from me, things can get a little blown out of proportion, so I wanted to speak to my fans directly tonight because I love you so much,” Grande said as the thousands packed into the venue cheered. “The announcement that was made yesterday was not a reactive or impulsive thing. It was something that I have decided. A plan that I had quietly made a long time ago. It was a decision that was made from a thoughtful and empowered place.”

She continued, “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 the far opposite. This is not what that is. And I just want to be very, very clear, multiple things can be true at the same time: boundaries 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.”

Grande said that despite “what noises exist out there, nothing will ever be able to distort my reality or be real to me or louder to me than this love that we share, or even how it feels to make art with the people that I love and respect.”