Ariana Grande has broken her silence on the rumours swirling around her appearance. The pop sensation has been the subject of much chatter on social media recently due to her changing looks while promoting the film adaptation of Wicked the Musical. Last month, Ariana, 31, raised eyebrows when she appeared at a photocall for the production in Los Angeles, causing fans to express their worries.
Despite staying quiet on the online remarks until now, the Positions singer got candid and emotional as she addressed the issue of beauty standards in the music and film industry. Speaking alongside her co-star Cynthia Erivo, Ariana expressed her concern over the "comfortability" people have when discussing others' appearances, calling it "really dangerous."
"I think it's dangerous for all parties involved," she stated. Ariana continued: "I've been doing this in front of the public, a specimen on a petri dish really since I was 16 or 17, I have heard it all. I've heard every version of what's wrong with me, then you fix it, and it's wrong for different reasons."
The Glinda actress confided: "The simplest things, your appearance, you're young, it's hard to protect yourself from that noise and I think it's something that's 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 'Oh my God you look heavier, what happened?' That is something that is uncomfortable and horrible, no matter where it's happening, no matter the scale it's happening on," reports the Mirror.
In a heartfelt conversation with Sally, the French content creator of Oui Oui Baguette podcast, Ariana continued: "That is a comfortability that we shouldn't have, at all. Commenting on other's looks, appearance, what they think is going on behind the scenes or health, or how they present themselves."
She voiced her concerns about the damaging impact of such comportment stating: "There's a comfortability that people have commenting on that, that I think is really dangerous. And I think it's dangerous for all parties involved, I'm really lucky to have the support system that I have," and shared her coping mechanism by asserting her belief in her own beauty. Despite acknowledging the persistent pressure since her youth, she firmly rejects its presence in her life.
Ariana Grande got candid with The Mirror about her personal growth from portraying the good witch in her latest movie, sharing that her character, Glinda, has really influenced her own sense of self. The star opened up: "Coming into the role, I think I would doubt myself – and maybe even have been a bit of a people pleaser. Glinda, in a good way, is so sure of herself – she's taught me that it's okay to have boundaries and stop trying to please people. When I think of all that she's taught me, it actually makes me a little emotional."
