Ariana Grande’s emotional moment on stage in Los Angeles quickly sparked speculation among fans.
Many assumed her tears were connected to her recent breakup with Ethan Slater, but a family insider claims the truth is far more complicated.
According to the source, the singer has been carrying emotional wounds that go back years, and one particular event forced her to confront painful memories she had long tried to leave behind.
When Ariana Grande became visibly emotional while thanking fans during a recent concert, many linked the moment to the end of her relationship with Ethan Slater.
The pair, who met while filming “Wicked,” were together for roughly three years before reports surfaced that they had quietly ended their romance months ago. While the breakup attracted widespread attention, a family insider told the Daily Mail that it was not the main source of Grande’s current struggles.
“It has been on-again, off-again. We didn’t know the last ‘off’ was going to be the final ‘off,’ but here we are,” the insider explained.
According to the source, the relationship had become increasingly unstable over time, with periods apart growing longer as the years passed.
“I’m not saying she and Ethan were toxic, but they should definitely have ended things earlier. They weren’t connecting, not vibing,” the source said.
The insider added, “The relationship was not serving either of them, they knew it, but neither one of them wanted to pull the plug. No one wanted to say it was over, but it was over, and it had clearly been over.”
The source insisted the breakup was hardly a surprise to those closest to the singer, noting, “We all saw that one coming, and that’s not why things are hard for her now.”
The Documentary That Reportedly Changed Everything
According to the insider, Ariana Grande’s emotional struggles intensified after the release of the 2024 documentary “Quiet on Set,” which examined allegations involving children’s television programming during the years she worked for Nickelodeon.
“She’s really hurting… and it’s hard to watch for anyone who really loves her,” the source said. “She loves hard, she follows her heart, and she’s had a lot of trauma. That’s made the last few years so hard for her.”
The insider claimed the documentary forced Grande to revisit aspects of her early career that she had never fully processed.
“You want to know what the worst thing has been for her? The thing that sent her off? The Quiet on Set documentary,” the source revealed. “It really f-cked with her head, in a very big way.”
The source said Grande initially tried to avoid watching the series altogether.
“She didn’t want to watch it, was going to avoid it, and then it became so huge, and it did a number on her.”
According to the insider, the documentary caused her to rethink experiences from her teenage years in a way she never had before.
“It really triggered her, knowing how she had been used, when she was a teenager, and not even realizing how much she was being used,” they shared.
Ariana Grande Confronted Painful Nickelodeon Memories
Grande was only 16 years old when she landed the role of Cat Valentine on “Victorious.” She later reprised the character in the spin-off series “Sam & Cat.”
During that period, Nickelodeon produced additional online content tied to the shows, including comedy sketches and web-exclusive videos featuring cast members.
Several of those clips have faced criticism in recent years because of their suggestive nature. According to the insider, revisiting those videos as an adult was deeply unsettling for the singer.
“Seeing herself at 16 trying to milk a potato on a bed, that f-cks you up when you’re older and you rewatch it and are like ‘oh that was to make old men get off,’” the source said.
The insider added simply, “That’s a lot for anyone.”
The renewed focus on those clips reportedly brought back emotions Grande had never fully dealt with, leaving her struggling to reconcile her childhood fame with how some of that content is viewed today.
Ariana Grande Faces Growing Concern About Her Health
As the singer launched her first tour in seven years, fans began expressing concern over her appearance and energy levels.
Social media discussions intensified as videos from performances circulated online. Many questioned whether Grande was struggling physically or emotionally.
The insider firmly denied suggestions that she suffers from an eating disorder and instead pointed to stress as a major factor.
“Ari doesn’t eat when she gets stressed, and then she loses weight, and then people make comments, which makes her more stressed, and then she doesn’t eat. It’s a vicious cycle,” the source explained.
The insider also criticized public scrutiny surrounding Grande’s appearance.
They said, “It’s weird that people feel like they can make comments about her body. You wouldn’t say that to someone on the street, why is it okay to say it about Ariana Grande? It’s just weird to me.”
The source also rejected suggestions that the shorter schedule for the Eternal Sunshine Tour was connected to lingering fears from the 2017 Manchester Arena attack.
“It started long before Manchester,” the insider said.
Searching For Peace While Staying In The Spotlight
Despite the emotional challenges, Ariana Grande continues balancing a demanding schedule that includes touring, promotional appearances, and preparations for her upcoming album, “Petal.”
Those closest to her reportedly believe she would benefit from slowing down. “People around her have told her to rest, to relax, to take care of her mental health,” the insider shared.
The source added, “She doesn’t need to be working as hard as she is. But she feels that working is part of her self-care.”
Finding balance remains difficult for someone whose career has defined much of her life.
“What she needs is peace. But what does it take to be at peace? Because she wouldn’t be happy to take her money and go live in obscurity,” the insider said. “That wouldn’t give her peace. But the stadiums and the movie premieres and the constant talk about her weight isn’t peaceful too. She’s got to figure that out.”
For now, those close to Grande say she is actively focusing on healing.
“She’s doing a lot of therapy now, a lot of working on herself. She is practicing self-care, meditating, praying, taking stock of herself,” the insider explained.
According to the source, she is also prioritizing healthy habits and leaning on trusted loved ones as she moves forward.
They concluded, “She’s eating, good meals, healthy meals. Writing music in her downtime, processing things, healing from it all. She’s really trying hard to be in a healthy place, and she’s got a support system who is helping her a lot.”
