Ariana Grande Breaks Silence On Concerns About Her Changed Appearance
Ariana Grande has broken her silence over concerns regarding her body. Since her rise to fame on the hit Nickelodeon series "Victorious," the beloved talent has cultivated a successful career in the music industry. From taking home an array of accolades –– including two Grammys –– to beating and breaking countless records, it's safe to say that Grande has made her mark. In November 2021, the "Positions" singer shifted her focus from the music sphere and announced her casting in the upcoming film adaptation of "Wicked." "thank goodness," she wrote on Instagram alongside a series of photos with director Jon M. Chu and her co-star Cynthia Erivo.
Since that fateful day, Grande has remained an open book about her journey as Glinda Upland, aka The Good Witch, by periodically sharing behind-the-scenes photos from the set. While many fans have expressed their excitement over her social media posts, others have commented on the pop star's appearance, specifically her body. Due to the continued criticism, Grande took to Instagram to acknowledge her fans' "concern" with a heartbreaking message.
Ariana Grande gets real about her body image
Ariana Grande has recently gotten some concerning comments from fans about her body, and the singer took to TikTok to speak about it. She started out by saying that people should be "gentler" when talking about other people's bodies. She then addressed the concerns. "The body that you've been comparing my current body to was the unhealthiest version of my body," she said. "I was on a lot of antidepressants, drinking on them, eating poorly, and at the lowest point of my life when I looked the way you consider 'my healthy.'"
The "Thank U, Next" singer told her fans to "be gentle with each other" because "you never know what someone is going through." She added that even though comments may come from a place of concern and care, it can be hurtful in the process of someone working on fixing their flaws. She ended her message by spreading the love to all of her fans or people who may have come across her video.
This isn't the first time Grande has spoken out about body image. At a promotional event for her partnership with Reebok, the "God Is a Woman" singer mentioned that she has a "motherly attachment" to her fans, and feels the need to look after them and tell them they're beautiful every day, as that was what her mother has done throughout her life.
Ariana Grande has always used her platform to promote body positivity
Ariana Grande's heartfelt video isn't the first time she's used her social media to promote body positivity. Back in 2015, an unidentified person made a comment comparing her body to "Modern Family" star Ariel Winter. "Got asked if I prefer @arielwinter1 or @ArianaGrande lol, it wud definitely be @arielwinter1 curves are sexy sticks aren't," the person wrote (via Seventeen). At the time of the person's statement, the young talent was gaining traction for her successful single "Focus", and its accompanying music video. In response to the shocking message, Grande took to Instagram to shut down the person's comment with an important statement. "Sigh.... tweets, comments, statements like this are not okay. about anyone!!! we live in a day and age where people make it IMPOSSIBLE for women, men, and anyone to embrace themselves exactly how they are," she wrote in a Notes App screenshot. Grande went on to call out misogyny as a whole before encouraging her fans to love themselves and their bodies unapologetically.
Shortly after the "Dangerous Women" singer uploaded her statement, Winter showed support for the supportive message in her own post. "Thank you, @arianagrande for posting this Instagram. I especially believe in today's world we all need to stick together – I believe in EMPOWERING other women and not putting them down," she wrote.
Ariana Grande has battled body criticism since the start of her career
While Ariana Grande has always held an honest and open rapport about body positivity, critics have consistently made dangerous assumptions about her health. In 2013, rumors began to swirl that the "Rain on Me" singer had an eating disorder due to her weight loss at the time. Because of the continued distress from fans, Grande wrote an insightful post on Tumblr shutting down the baseless rumours. "First of all, thank you very much for being concerned about me but it's getting a bit blow[n] out of proportion," she wrote. "I lost a bit of weight last year. It's because I stopped eating junk food and started making healthy choices. I was happy with the way I was before, and I'm still happy now!" She added that her "lifestyle change" was not meant to make her "skinnier" but to help her include food that's meant to "nourish you and be put to good use."
In addition to her various posts assuring fans that she's healthy, the superstar's lifestyle has also been supported by her celebrity trainer, Harley Pasternak. Back in 2017, he broke down Grande's diet and exercise routine to Pop Sugar, stating: "Ariana eats incredibly well, and she always had a healthy diet. I think what I've gotten her to do now is to create a more balanced diet and feel OK about indulging and celebrating sometimes."