Singer and actress Ariana Grande is setting the record straight regarding her health once and for all.
This comes months after fans have been expressing concerns online about the 29-year-old’s slimmer appearance. In a TikTok video shared on April 11, Grande opened up about the reason surrounding her smaller figure and why she wants others to start becoming more aware of their comments, especially regarding one’s weight.
In the clip, Grande, who is currently working on the film adaptation of the highly anticipated musical Wicked, revealed that she is discussing this topic because she wants people to start being kind to one another and not feel “comfortable” talking about an individual’s physical appearance. While mentioning that everyone should work together to “aim towards being safer,” she said,
“I don’t do this often, I don’t like it, I’m not good at it… I just wanted to address your concerns about my body and talk a little bit about what it means to be a person with a body and to be seen and to be paid such close attention to.
I think we should be gentler and less comfortable commenting on people’s bodies, no matter what. If you think you’re saying something good or well-intentioned, whatever it is: healthy, unhealthy, big, small, this, that, sexy, not sexy. We just shouldn’t. We should work towards not doing that as much. There are ways to compliment someone, or to ignore something that you see and you don’t like. I think we should aim towards being safer.”
Later in the video, Grande disclosed that those distressed over her weight loss by comparing her current physique to past images should comprehend that the older photos where she appeared to be “healthy” were taken at some of the lowest moments of her life when she was “eating poorly, drinking, and taking antidepressants.”
For context, some of the lowest moments that Grande could be referring to were the 2017 Manchester Arena bombing, the passing of her ex Mac Miller in 2018, and her struggles with mental health. Grande added that she expressing her vulnerable side because she wants “something good” to come out of this conversation.
“I just also wanted to say, one, there are many different kinds of beautiful. There are many different ways to look healthy and beautiful. I know personally, for me, the body you’ve been comparing my current body to was the unhealthiest version of my body. I was on a lot of antidepressants and drinking on them and eating poorly and at the lowest point of my life when I looked the way you consider my healthy. But that in fact wasn’t my healthy. I know I shouldn’t have to explain that, but I do feel like having an openness and some sort of vulnerability…something good might come from it.”
Another point that Grande made was that others fail to acknowledge that people have silent battles they are going through physically, emotionally, and mentally and could be trying to overcome them with the help of a support group. She said as she urged her fans to be more gentle regarding their remarks,
“The second this is, you never know what someone is going through. So even if you are coming from a loving place or caring place, that person is probably working on it or has a support system that they are working on it with. You never know, so be gentle with each other and yourselves.”
Grande ended the clip by sending love to her fans and mentioning how beautiful they are regardless of what they look like. She said, “Sending you guys a lot of love, and I think you’re beautiful no matter what you’re going through, no matter what weight, no matter how you like to do your makeup these days, no matter what cosmetic procedures you’ve had or not… I just think you’re beautiful and wanted to share some feelings. “
As Grande’s post began circulating online, including on Twitter, many voiced their opinions.
One individual expressed that the public owes Grande and Selena Gomez an apology for feeling forced to address the changes surrounding their weight.
At the same time, another Twitter user sent well wishes to Grande.
A third person claimed that the public scrutiny Grande is receiving over her body is “disgusting.”
A social media user stated how sad it is that Grande had to address this topic, especially after all the “hell” she’s gone through in the last few years.
To date, Grande’s video has generated over 20 million views and has received over 4 million likes.