Is Ariana Grande Quitting Hollywood? Star Calls Herself a 'Performative Human' While Seeking Balance

For fifteen years, the world has known Ariana Grande as a relentless engine of pop culture, a high-octane blend of glass-shattering high notes and perfectly winged eyeliner. But as the 32-year-old star stands at the precipice of her biggest cinematic milestone yet, she is beginning to pull back the curtain on the exhaustion that comes with being a 'performative human' for half her life.

In a candid new reflection, the singer-turned-actress has admitted that stepping away from the spotlight might be the only way to save her soul.

Speaking to Vogue Japan for their March 2026 issue, Grande confessed that the non-stop grind since her teenage debut on Victorious has left her craving a life that exists outside of a recording booth or a film set.

'I think that it would probably be healthy,' she admitted, discussing the prospect of a hiatus. 'I'm not used to taking breaks. But I do know that I grew so much from taking space from music while I was filming Wicked... But yeah, these past few years have been pretty non-stop. And by few, I mean 15.'

Seeking Symmetry: The Performative Human Quest For Balance

For Grande, the upcoming release of the two-part Wicked film adaptation wasn't just another job; it was a mirror. Taking on the iconic role of Glinda allowed her to explore the psychological toll of public expectation.

She described diving deep into the character's insecurities, scribbling notes on how tiny moments of suppressed emotion shaped Glinda into what she calls a 'super high-functioning, performative human being'.

It is a description that clearly resonates with her own journey. After a decade and a half of being 'Ariana Grande' the brand, the star is now prioritising 'balance' as her primary objective for the next chapter.

'Balance is the goal for the next 15 years,' she told the publication. 'I don't think they will look like the previous 15 years. I think there will be more balance.' It is a sobering admission from a woman who has spent her entire adult life at the mercy of a schedule that rarely allows for a breath, let alone a break.

Sisterhood In Oz: Finding Truth Beyond The Persona

The process of filming Wicked also provided a rare anchor in the form of a 'sisterhood' with her co-star, Cynthia Erivo. Despite never having auditioned together, the two forged a bond that transcended the professional requirements of the script.

Grande spoke warmly of the way they learned to 'take care of each other' during a gruelling production that was as physically demanding as it was emotional.

'It's what we committed to do, it's what we knew it had to be, and I think we did a beautiful job of that,' Grande noted.

'We have very different processes, and we're very different as people. Yet we took the time to learn each other... I think it was really meant to be.' She described the collaboration as the 'most gratifying work' of her life, suggesting that finding genuine human connection in a highly 'performative' industry was her greatest takeaway.

As she navigates the blurred lines between her public persona and her private truth, Grande remains philosophical about the world's perception of her. 'Sometimes we are inventing a persona or taking on a character that was written for us by someone else.

And sometimes it's just pouring our hearts out and letting our truths out,' she concluded. 'But it's always interesting because the world sometimes can't tell the difference.'