Ariana Grande was visibly moved during a recent interview while discussing the intense pressure women face due to society’s beauty standards, particularly in relation to her own weight loss. The 31-year-old pop sensation was asked by French reporter Sally how she copes with the overwhelming expectations placed on women to always look “perfect.”
When the question was asked, Grande, who is currently promoting Wicked, struggled to hold back her emotions, saying, “My goodness. I’m not gonna–” before pausing and trying to maintain composure. Clearly touched by the inquiry, she added, “Good question,” as tears welled up in her eyes.
In an effort to comfort her, Grande’s Wicked co-star, Cynthia Erivo, who was also present during the interview, offered support, allowing Grande a moment to gather herself. The Side to Side hitmaker opened up about her experiences of being constantly scrutinized in the public eye since she was just 16 or 17 years old. She 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 reflected on the endless cycle of criticism and the unrealistic expectations placed on her appearance, saying, “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.” She pointed out that much of this criticism is often about something as simple as how you look, which can be incredibly difficult to navigate.
The Disney alum further elaborated on how challenging it is to shield oneself from such constant negativity, especially when you are young and hearing harsh comments from all directions. “It’s hard to protect yourself from that noise,” she said. “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 concluded her emotional discussion by expressing the emotional toll such comments can take, calling it “horrible.” She also shared her belief that in today’s society, people feel too comfortable making unsolicited remarks about others’ appearances, health, or what may be happening behind the scenes. Despite these struggles, Ariana emphasized that she is “really lucky” to have a strong support system, reminding her that she is beautiful just the way she is.