Ariana Grande’s break from the spotlight sparks fresh debate over body commentary

Culture & TrendsAriana Grande’s break from the spotlight sparks fresh debate over body commentaryThe pop star has repeatedly assured her fans she is in good health. But speculation has only grown online, most recently with the release of her “petal” music video.Listen to this article with a free profile00:0000:00Ariana Grande in January.Emma McIntyre / WireImage via Getty ImagesShareAdd NBC News to GoogleAug. 3, 2026, 7:03 PM EDTBy Saba HamedyIn the music video for her new song, “petal,” Ariana Grande takes a chain saw to a table of male casting directors who criticize her character’s appearance and deem her “not good enough.”It’s a scene that would normally spark plenty of discussion online, but rather than lead to analysis of Grande’s message, the video ended up re-igniting a yearslong discussion about her appearance.While she has publicly assured her fans that she is in good health, speculation centering on recent photos and videos in which she appeared emaciated has only grown online and in the celebrity media.On Sunday, a representative announced that Grande would be taking a step back from public life after she finished her “Eternal Sunshine” tour, which wraps next month. Grande also pulled out of her role co-starring in a London revival of Stephen Sondheim’s “Sunday in the Park With George,” which is set to open next summer.“If we comment on her body, we could harm her mental health, which would be awful, and nobody wants that,” actor Jameela Jamil, who often uses her platform to change the discussion around body image, wrote in her Instagram Story. “If we don’t comment on her body, we run the risk of normalising that image to hundreds of millions of teenage girls, kids and even impressionable adults.”00:17Ariana Grande to step back from public life after tour ends00:0000:00Jamil’s post was one of thousands shared across Reddit, TikTok, Threads and X. Some fans discussed Grande’s new album and shared their favorite tracks. Many, however, seemed unable to...