Ariana Grande admits she’s ‘not used to taking breaks’ after 15 nonstop years

Singer and actor Ariana Grande, who has spent nearly her entire career in constant motion, has admitted that slowing down might actually be good for her.

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“I’m not used to taking breaks”

Reflecting on her relentless schedule, Grande acknowledged that taking time off is something she’s still learning. “I think that it would probably be healthy. I’m not used to taking breaks,” she said, adding that stepping away from music while filming Wicked helped her grow in unexpected ways.

“But yeah, these past few years have been pretty non-stop. And by few, I mean 15,” Grande remarked, underlining how long she has been operating at full speed.

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Looking for balance in the years ahead

Speaking to Vogue Japan, the Wicked: For Good actress shared that her focus for the future is finding balance rather than repeating the intensity of her earlier years.

“Balance is the goal for the next 15 years,” she said. “I don’t think they will look like the previous 15 years. I think there will be more balance.”

 

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Immersing herself in Glinda’s world

Grande, who plays Glinda in the two Wicked films, revealed how deeply she immersed herself in understanding the character. “I spent a lot of time reading between the lines,” she said, explaining how she imagined moments from Glinda’s life that shaped her insecurities, from her friendship with Elphaba to her relationship with Fiyero.

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These small, unspoken details, she noted, helped her portray Glinda as someone who appears confident but is quietly navigating emotional complexity.

When performance and reality blur

Grande also reflected on the thin line between performance and authenticity, both on screen and in real life.
“Sometimes we are playing a character, and sometimes we are letting our guard down,” she said, adding that the world often struggles to distinguish between an artist’s persona and their true self.

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A sisterhood with Cynthia Erivo

The singer-actor also spoke fondly about the bond she formed with co-star Cynthia Erivo during the filming of Wicked.

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Despite never auditioning together, the two actors committed themselves to building trust and emotional support throughout the demanding shoot.

“We took the time to learn each other and take care of each other through this process,” Grande shared, calling the experience one of the most fulfilling of her career. “It was the most gratifying work of my life. I would do it all over again today,” she added.

 

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