Ariana Grande is clarifying the reason behind her upcoming break ... saying the decision was made long ago and wasn't an impulsive reaction to recent headlines.
The singer addressed fans Monday night during her "Eternal Sunshine Tour" stop at Chicago's United Center, explaining she wanted to speak directly because stories that don't come from her can sometimes get blown out of proportion.
Ariana said she had quietly planned the break well before it was announced and made the decision from a thoughtful and empowered place.
She also clarified that while ongoing public scrutiny played a role in her need to set boundaries and step back, the negativity has not ruined the touring experience for her.
Ariana Grandeis reportedly stepping away from the spotlight ... as concern and commentary surrounding her appearance reaches a fever pitch.
The singer plans to "take a step back from visibility" after wrapping her "Eternal Sunshine Tour" in London on September 1, her rep tells PEOPLE ... blaming the "endless, ongoing public scrutiny" surrounding her public appearances.
The news comes after Jameela Jamilsounded the alarm Saturday over Ariana's appearance in her newly released "Petal" music video ... claiming the pop star is "possibly dying right in front of us."
Emily Willis' family has reached a massive settlement with the Malibu rehab facility where she suffered catastrophic brain damage ... but TMZ has learned she's slowly recovering.
Emily's mother, Yesenia Cooper, tells TMZ ... Emily is not verbal but can communicate with her eyes and by shaking her head -- she understands about 80% of what is going on.
However, her mom tells us she is improving, getting better day by day, and still fighting to live the best life possible.
NHL legend Claude Lemieux was kicked out of his home after confessing he had relapsed into sex addiction ... setting off a chain of events his son later recounted to police.
TMZ Sports has obtained body cam footage from the night Claude died by suicide ... showing his son, Brendan Lemieux, explain to cops his father had been sober for 12 years before his mother discovered that was no longer the case.
Brendan tells officers his mother confronted Claude after the family noticed changes in his behavior over the previous year. He says things had recently spiraled, with his father lashing out at times.
Emily Willis' family has reached a $3 Million settlement with the Malibu rehab facility where the former adult film star suffered catastrophic brain damage and was left permanently disabled.
Willis' mom and legal guardian, Yesenia Cooper, sued Malibu Lighthouse Treatment in 2024, claiming the facility failed to properly care for Emily while she was being treated for ketamine addiction at Summit Malibu earlier that year.
According to court docs, Emily is expected to receive approximately $1.25 Million after attorneys' fees and liens, while her mom will continue serving as her conservator. The defendants denied wrongdoing and did not admit liability.
Former NFL guard Jordan Devey -- who played for the New England Patriots when they won the Super Bowl in 2014 -- has died by suicide, his family announced.
His wife, Linsey Devey, announced his death on social media Friday -- saying it would have been their 15th wedding anniversary -- and linked to a GoFundMe which said he took his own life.
Jordan and Linsey share four children who Linsey said have his "eyes, freckles, and compassion." She added, "You were our hero and our hearts ache in your absence. We love you. We miss you. And as you said in your last words to me, 'we’ll talk soon.'"
That's a wrap for Kirsten Storms on "General Hospital" ... because she's been written off the show amid a turbulent time in her personal life.
Fans learned in Thursday's episode of the soap opera that Kirsten's character, Maxie Jones, will be moving to Australia just months after she came out of a coma.
Kirsten's character being written off follows her announcement last month, when she said she wasn't coming back to the daytime drama amid personal drama with her ex-husband.
Tulsi Gabbard's older brother is facing criminal charges after Hawaii police say he allegedly tried to lure several young children to a hotel room by offering them money and gum.
According to the Honolulu Police Department, 55-year-old Batarti Gabbard, brother of President Trump's former Director of National Intelligence, was arrested Friday in connection with a July 12 incident at a Waikīkī hotel pool.
Cops say Gabbard approached multiple children including a 9 year old boy and allegedly offered them gum and cash if they followed him to a nearby hotel room. Police say he also asked the kids for their names and wrote them down in a notebook.
The Indiana man who cut off his penis before allegedly setting it ablaze doesn't remember the impromptu amputation ... TMZ has learned.
A family member of Christopher Peden tells TMZ ... he's suffered from mental health issues over the years and has been "in and out" of mental health facilities, and is back in one after making bail following his felony arson charge. The treatment was not part of his release.
The family member says he is currently "coming to terms with what happened, which has been the hard part because he doesn't remember doing it," adding that he was in a "psychotic-like episode" when he decided to cut off his penis and torch it.
Sean Strickland is issuing a mea culpa to Dustin Poirier ... in a wild 180 that no one saw coming, with the UFC champ eating crow for doubting whether the retired fighter was actually battling depression before his recent viral arrest.
Stricland said, "I spoke to Dustin and he is legitimately messed up by his actions," Strickland wrote on social media. "I thought he was just doing PR clean up tbh.. I guess not everyone is a POS like me lol."
He continued, "So yeah I repent and I am sorry Dustin."
Taylor Frankie Paul has been facing a whirlwind of trouble this year ... and she's now admitting on social media she sought the help of rehabilitation facilities for her own mental health struggles.
TFP put up a post on Sunday on her Instagram story where she goes into detail about how she is handling her mental health, saying she willingly chose to seek help from a facility to help her "reset" and "get away."
This is after Taylor noticed she "needed extra help" ... and it looks like the help got her a 'good antidepressant.'
Former NBA star Blake Griffin says his first experience with a sports psychologist was anything but a slam dunk ... claiming the shrink totally betrayed his trust.
Blake was on the "Friends Keep Secrets" podcast Tuesday with Lil Dicky, Kristin Batalucco, and Benny Blanco when recalled a nightmare interaction with a sports psychologist during his time with the Los Angeles Clippers.
He says the shrink came over to his place after practice one day and they chatted ... and then the shrink turned around and called up Blake's coach to spill about their convo.
Rep. Lauren Boebert isn't exactly welcoming a fellow Republican back to Congress ... rather, she's skewering him for being MIA because he was depressed.
Jacobgot the Congresswoman from Colorado Tuesday on Capitol Hill, and she was incredulous that Congressman Tom Kean finally ended his nearly 4-month sabbatical, citing "depression."
Lauren had a different diagnosis, scoffing that Kean's "case of the sads" is no excuse for abandoning the ship. Jacob mounted a challenge, saying depression is more than a case of the sads, but Boebert doubled down, saying he was an embarrassment and needed to toughen up.
Thing is ... Kean is running for reelection, and Republicans need every seat to retain the House, but Boebert doesn't care ... she says if he's too much of an eggshell to show up, she's ok if he's booted from Congress.
David Harbour is opening up about a difficult chapter in his life ... addressing both a mental health struggle and rumors of tension with his "Stranger Things" costar Millie Bobby Brown ... and he says one triggered the other.
David says he suffered a mental breakdown last year that was "confusing as hell" not only for himself, but also for those around him ... telling Variety that depression, mania, and other mental health episodes can be difficult for loved ones to understand in real time.
The "Stranger Things" star admitted he was triggered by what he claims was false reporting on his relationship with Millie ... namely, reports she had complained about his behavior on set and that the pair had experienced friction behind the scenes.
Soap star Kirsten Storms says she has no plans to return to "General Hospital" due to ongoing issues with her ex-husband, Brandon Barash, and an alleged phone hack.
Kirsten posted an emotional message on social media Sunday addressing the ongoing drama in her life, which includes Brandon obtaining a restraining order against her over concerns about her mental health. The drama erupted months after Kirsten left "General Hospital" in mid-2025 to "take a break" and to move to Tennessee with her family.
In her social post, the actress says ... "Given what's been going on, I can't say I will feel comfortable heading back to Los Angeles and returning to work. This has been an eye opening experience about the downside of my profession."
Matt Brown's ex-girlfriend spent months trying to help him through his personal struggles before he took his own life ... TMZ has learned.
Sources close to the situation tell TMZ ... the former "Alaskan Bush People" star's ex did everything she could to support him as he battled personal issues.
We're told she repeatedly urged Matt to seek professional help and believed he needed support beyond their relationship, feeling she could no longer be his only source of strength during his darkest moments.
Despite the breakup, our sources say she still cared deeply about Matt and hoped they could eventually make the relationship work. We're told she remained committed to his well-being and wanted to see him get the help he needed.
