On Sunday, it was announced that Ariana Grande, the three-time Grammy winner and Oscar nominee, would be a stepping from public life after the conclusion of her ongoing Eternal Sunshine world tour.
“She looks forward to finishing the tour and ending it on a high note, both healthily and happily, and then taking a much-deserved break from public-facing work and appearances, which has led to endless, ongoing public scrutiny,” the statement from Grande’s representatives read. “This tour has been a beautiful experience for her. She loves her fans and has loved every minute of this tour so much.”
The move comes amid much media speculation about her health, which only increased following the release of her “Petal” music video on Friday.
The break, which also includes pulling out of the previously planned West End revival of Sunday in the Park With George, co-starring fellow Wicked cast member Jonathan Bailey, will begin following the conclusion of her tour in London on Sept. 1, falling in between the end of Grammys eligibility at the end of August and the start of first-round voting in October.
As one of the biggest pop stars in the world, Grande’s upcoming break will impact a few different aspects of pop culture — from music to film with the upcoming Focker-in-Law — but here’s how the Grammys will be affected by going Ari-free for the foreseeable future.
Top Categories
One of the more surprising aspects of the announcement’s timing is the recent release of Petal, Grande’s eight studio album, also on Friday. The record and its lead single, “Hate That I Made You Love Me,” were already charting in Gold Derby’s predictions for the top catorgies.
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Grande is currently ranked 10th in the Gold Derby odds for nominations in Album of the Year and Record of the year, just two slots out of nomination range. The singer is a previous two-time nominee for Album of the Year — first in 2020 for Thank U, Next and again in 2022 for Doja Cat’s record Planet Her.
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“Hate That I Made You Love Me” spent a week at the top of Billboard‘s Hot 100 and was sure to be in the conversation as one of the year’s biggest songs. With contenders in all three of the top categories for which she’s eligible, Grande and her headline-making announcement are likely to be on voters’ minds even more than they were already going to be.
Campaign
But the two spots that Grande would need to climb in order to be in nomination range could be a tall order without the push of an awards campaign behind them. The typical press tour and glad-handing that come with the awards circuit would seem to be the exact sort of things that Grande is looking to avoid with this break, but the resulting lack of visibility could allow the competitive categories to fill up quickly.
Votes of Support
Important context for all of this awards conversation is that none of it matters as much as Grande’s health and happiness. The general reaction to the news online has generally been supportive of the singer, who has weathered years of public scrutiny and certainly seen the underbelly of fame. Expect that good will to continue through her step back and into Grammys voting, where she’s sure to find Record Academy members happy to show their support with their vote.
