Ariana Grande became emotional when discussing recent remarks about her figure. During a new interview, a French journalist asked the 31-year-old Grammy winner how she deals with society’s expectations and “beauty standards,” and the “overwhelming” pressure on women to maintain an ideal and “perfect” appearance.
The “Yes, And?” singer quickly found herself fighting back tears. “My goodness. I’m not gonna,” Grande stammered. She added: “Good question.” The Wicked alum’s co-star Cynthia Erivo, who was also present, supportively held Grande’s hand as she spoke.
Ariana Grande Fights Back Tears As She Discusses 'Beauty Standards' And Remarks About Her Appearance
The R.E.M. Beauty mogul explained: "I’ve been kind of doing this in front of the public and kind of been a specimen in a petri dish really since I was 16 or 17, so I have heard it all."
Grande continued: "I’ve heard every version of it — of what’s wrong with me. And then you fix it, and then it’s wrong for different reasons. But that’s everything from — even just the simplest thing — your appearance, you know?"
The actress, who first rose to fame on Nickelodeon's Victorious from 2010 to 2013, shared that it's "hard to protect yourself from that noise" when "you’re young and you’re hearing all kinds of things."
The "7 Rings" artist went on: "I think that it’s something that is uncomfortable no matter what scale you’re experiencing it on, even if you go to Thanksgiving dinner, and someone’s granny says, ‘Oh my God, you look skinnier! What happened?’ or ‘You look heavier! What happened?'" Grande stressed that hearing such words directed at you is "terrible," no matter who you are.
"I think in today’s society, there is a comfortability that we shouldn’t have at all — commenting on others’ looks, appearance, what they think is going on behind the scenes or health or how they present themselves," she continued. "From what you’re wearing to your body to your face to your everything — there’s a comfortability that people have commenting on that that I think is really dangerous."
The "We Can't Be Friends (Wait For Your Love)" hitmaker noted: "I think it’s dangerous for all parties involved." Although Grande often faces unasked-for comments about her appearance, she said she considers herself fortunate to have a network of support that continually reassures her of her beauty.
And how she now handles the commentary? Grande just no longer pays it any mind. "It’s not welcome," she said. "I have work to do, I have a life to live, I have friends to love on, I have so much love, and it’s not invited, so I don’t leave space for it anymore."
Addressing those who understand the challenge firsthand, she emphasized: "However, you all can protect yourselves from that noise — whether it’s at a family reunion or online, if you gotta block people, I don’t care if you have to delete the app entirely — you keep yourself safe because no one has the right to say s–t."
Ariana Grande's Previous Comments On Her Transformation And Physique
In April 2023, while working on the live-action Wicked movie in London, Grande addressed her significant weight loss for the first time. At that moment, she uploaded an extensive TikTok video where she urged the public to be "gentler and less comfortable commenting on people’s bodies."
"The body that 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," she confessed.
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Grande continued: "[I was] at the lowest point of my life when I looked the way you consider my healthy, but that in fact wasn’t my healthy."
The "Positions" crooner stated: "You never know what someone is going through, so even if you are coming from a loving place and a caring place, that person probably is working on it or has a support system that they are working on it with."
