Ariana Grande moved to tears as she recalled the body-shaming scrutiny she has faced since her teenage years.
During a joint interview with her Wicked co-star Cynthia Erivo, the 7 Rings hitmaker opened up about her struggle with such comments, following a question from French content creator Crazy Sally about the pressure to look perfect.
“I’ve been doing this in front of the public and really been a specimen in a Petri dish since I was 16 or 17,” Grande, 31, began after taking a moment to compose herself. “I’ve heard it all. Every version of it.”
She went on to share how difficult it was to protect herself from the harsh comments as a young star. “You’re young, and you’re hearing all kinds of things,” she continued, holding Erivo’s hand for support. “It’s hard to protect yourself from that noise.”
“It’s something that’s uncomfortable no matter what scale you’re experiencing it on,” the Bang Bang songstress said. “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?'”
The two-time Grammy Award winner criticized society’s level of “comfortability” in sharing opinions about someone’s body, calling it “dangerous for all parties involved.”
Despite the challenges, Grande explained how she has been able to deflect the scrutiny, thanks to the strong support system of her loved ones.
This wasn’t the first time Grande spoke out about body shaming. In April 2023, she shared a rare, three-minute confessional on TikTok, where she addressed online comments about her body.
