Christopher Polk / Billboard via Getty Images

Frankie Grande Told Ariana “I Will Have Your Back Until The End Of Time” Days After She Announced She’s Stepping Away from the Public Eye

Updated 1 week ago, August 9, 2026

Ariana Grande just wrapped her Eternal Sunshine Tour and announced she’s stepping back from public life after months of scrutiny over her body. Her brother Frankie made sure the last thing she heard was love.

Ariana Grande and Frankie Grande smiling together at a meet-and-greet event in London — Ariana and Frankie Grande together at a London fragrance launch for “Ari by Ariana Grande” at Boots in Piccadilly, November 2015. Photo by Stuart C. Wilson / Getty Images.

Ariana Grande told fans she’d decided long ago to step away from the spotlight, a choice she said came “from a thoughtful and empowered place.” She shared it during her August 3 concert, near the close of the Eternal Sunshine Tour, without ever naming the criticism of her appearance.

Frankie Grande, Ariana Grande, and Cynthia Erivo seated together at the Paris 2024 Olympics artistic gymnastics event — Frankie Grande, Ariana Grande, and Cynthia Erivo take in the Artistic Gymnastics Women’s Qualification together at Bercy Arena during the Paris 2024 Olympics on July 28, 2024. Photo by Ezra Shaw / Getty Images.

That scrutiny followed the release of her “Petal” music video, when speculation about her weight and health spread online. She addressed the pattern years earlier, in an April 2023 video: “There are many different kinds of beautiful. There are many different ways to look healthy and beautiful.”

Frankie Grande on the red carpet at the 79th Annual Tony Awards at Radio City Music Hall in New York City — At Radio City Music Hall in New York City, Frankie Grande walked the arrivals carpet for the 79th Annual Tony Awards on June 7, 2026. Photo by Kena Betancur / AFP via Getty Images.

Frankie, 43, is Ariana’s older half-brother and a Broadway performer in his own right, with runs in Mamma Mia! and Rock of Ages and a current starring role in the Céline Dion and Titanic parody Titanique. He released his debut dance-pop album Hotel Rock Bottom in 2025 and published a memoir, Supergay!, in June 2026 about coming out, addiction, and family. He’s been sober since 2017, and has said Ariana’s support after the Manchester Arena bombing was a turning point in his recovery.

Frankie Grande in a yellow and black blazer and Ariana Grande in a polka-dot dress smile together in the audience at the 2025 MTV VMAs. — At UBS Arena in New York, siblings Frankie Grande and Ariana Grande share a close moment during the MTV Video Music Awards on September 7, 2025. Photo by Christopher Polk / Billboard via Getty Images.

He posted footage from the tour’s final night and called it “a beautiful celebration of your artistry and the magnificent eternal sunshine family you have built and created.” In a second post, he called his sister a “once-in-a-lifetime artist at the absolute peak of her powers” and said she put on “the greatest concert [he’s] ever seen.”