Fans and celebrities have publicly expressed their concerns for Ariana Grande after her latest music video showed the always petite star looking alarmingly thinner than ever.
Grande, 33, dropped the music video for her new single Petal on Friday, along with her new studio album of the same name.
But some on social media said they found it hard to make it through the music video, given Grande’s shockingly thin appearance throughout.
In one scene, Grande dances in costume as Sandy from the classic movie Grease, her rib bones jutting against her skin in a low-cut, off-the-shoulder top.
The music video immediately caused fierce debate on social media, with some of Grande’s acolytes arguing that it was not appropriate to comment on her body – while many others expressed their hope that the star is getting help.
Grande is currently in the midst of a gruelling work schedule – she’s releasing this new album midway through a 41-date world tour that sees her perform on stage for more than two hours a night, up to five nights a week.
Other recent photos of the star on stage and meeting fans after a show have sparked similar concerns.
American broadcaster and former The View panellist Meghan McCain is one well-known figure who spoke out about the new video, saying it reminded her “of the Amy Winehouse era when it was blatantly obvious something was very wrong but everyone around her just ignored and enabled it.”
Actress and body positivity campaigner Jameela Jamil also spoke out online, calling the video “dangerous”. “This poor woman is possibly dying right in front of us,” she wrote.
Countless others online echoed those sentiments, with many commentators questioning why Grande and her team were barrelling full steam ahead with her various career commitments rather than allowing her a break.
“That video is SO hard to watch,” one fan wrote on X.
Another called the video “distressing”. “I know we aren’t supposed to publicly talk about this for some reason, but it’s genuinely upsetting,” they said.
A third called it “terrifying and heartbreaking” asked, “Why was a music video of her in this state even allowed to be released?”
News.com.au has today commented Grande’s management seeking a statement about the video.
Grande has faced speculation about her size for several years now. Back in 2023, the star posted a video on social media in which she urged her followers to be more mindful before sharing their opinion on others’ appearances.
“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 said, referring to past photos of herself that fans had said
“[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.”
In December last year came a report in the Daily Mail that the star, who had just completed her second press tour in 12 months for the two-part Wicked movie musical, was “not in a healthy place”.
“She is struggling right now,” a source told the outlet.
“She’s not in a healthy place and she knows it. Everyone around her knows it. Her anxiety is through the roof. She overexerted herself and the cracks started to show pretty quickly.
“Fortunately she’s got a support system. Everyone is encouraging her to take care of her own mental health – because she needs to,” the source said.
