Ariana Grande has defended the music video for her single "Petal," saying she "loves this video with my entire heart," days after the visual sparked heated online debate about her physical appearance. The video, released alongside her eighth studio album, Petal, sees her play an aspiring entertainer subjected to repeated demands from executives to change her looks, before turning on her critics with a chainsaw — a pointed response to years of scrutiny that, ironically, only intensified once the video was released.

Grande shared behind-the-scenes photos on Instagram with comments disabled, thanking her collaborators for helping bring the song to life. Shortly after the backlash, her representative told People she planned to "take a step back from visibility" once her Eternal Sunshine Tour ends, including dropping out of the West End revival of Sunday in the Park With George. Performing in Chicago the following night, Grande insisted the break was a long-planned, "empowered" decision rather than a reaction to the controversy. She has two more Chicago shows before travelling to London for ten closing tour dates at the O2 Arena, wrapping up on 1 September.