Ariana Grande took the stage in Chicago to address her fans after news broke that she would be taking a break from the public eye. She performed at the United Center as part of her “Eternal Sunshine Tour”.

Grande explained that the decision to step back was not reactive or impulsive, but rather something she had planned and decided on from a thoughtful and empowered place. She also addressed concerns from fans who were worried that negativity was ruining things for her, stating that this was not the case.

A representative for Grande had earlier stated that she would be taking a step back from visibility after completing the tour, and that she looked forward to finishing the tour on a high note and then taking a much-deserved break from public-facing work and appearances.

Grande’s decision means she will pull out of an upcoming stage musical in London, where she was set to star alongside Jonathan Bailey in a production of Stephen Sondheim’s “Sunday in the Park with George”.

Original reporting: NBC Connecticut — read the source article.