Ariana Grande is taking a break from the public eye, a spokesperson told People last Tuesday, August 2, following renewed concerns from fans worried about the singer’s health after recent petal music videos and public appearances. Now, Ariana has expanded on the aforementioned statement.

On Monday, August 3, during the first concert of her three-night run at Chicago’s United Center – which will conclude the US leg of her tour – Ariana took a moment to read from notes on her phone and tell her fans:

"Is it okay if we get a little real tonight? I wrote down my thoughts because I didn't want to get nervous and forget... I just want to say sometimes when a story comes out that's not directly from me, things can get a little blown out of proportion. So I just want to speak to my fans directly tonight because I love you so much, and it means a lot to me to have the ability to let you know how I'm feeling and not let the world decide and project."

“The announcement that was made yesterday was not a reactive or impulsive thing. It is something that I had decided... It’s a plan that I had quietly made a long time ago,” she said, ensuring concertgoers, “it’s a decision that was made from a thoughtful and empowered place.”

“I want you to know that many things can be true at the same time. I heard that my fans were worried that ‘negativity was ruining things for me’. But I just have to say that could not be more the fuck opposite,” she cleared up.

“This is not what that is. And I just want to be very, very clear. Multiple things can be true at the same time. Boundaries can need to be said. Human beings can need a break sometimes. And also, this can be and will continue to be the greatest experience of my professional career [...] So I just wanted to make that quite clear.”

"I have one more thing to say," she continues. "No matter what noises exist out there, nothing will ever be able to distort my reality or be more real to me or louder to me than this love that we share in this room... I love you, and this is what I will always take with me and carry with me [the crowd cheering] because the rest of that shit is not mine to carry, so I don't carry it, and I don't need you to carry it for me. I needed to get out here and differentiate that from my truth for you all because I love you, and this tour has been the most healing, beautiful, corrective, magnificent, special experience of my life, and so has turned out petal; it has been extraordinary... yeah that's all, thank you very much," she concluded.

Part of the original statement said that “Ariana will be taking a step back from visibility after she completes the Eternal Sunshine Tour [September 1].” And that “She looks forward to finishing the tour and ending it on a high note, both healthily and happily, and then taking a much-deserved break from public-facing work and appearances, which has led to endless, ongoing public scrutiny.” She will also no longer appear in the West End revival of Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine's 1984 musical Sunday in the Park with George.

The musician and actor will wrap up the trek on September 1 after a 10-night residency at London’s O2 Arena, which kicks off on August 15.