What Inspired Ariana Grande to Continue Making Music After Nearly Quitting

Ariana Grande opened up about a time she seriously considered leaving music behind. In a recent conversation on the Shut Up Evan podcast, the 32-year-old singer and actor revealed that taking the role of Glinda in the Wicked film prompted her to reassess her creative priorities.

During the episode (posted Friday, Oct. 24), Grande explained that after heading to London to film Wicked she quietly assumed she wouldn’t make another record. Her 2020 release, Positions, was originally meant to be her parting statement from pop music.

“I didn’t think I was gonna make an album ever again,” Grande told host Evan Ross Katz. The Wicked experience, she said, changed how she approached creating music and ultimately reignited her desire to write.

That renewed spark led to 2024’s Eternal Sunshine, an album Grande credits to the fresh perspective she gained from acting. She described the process as a creative reconnection — a moment that compelled her to return to the studio and make music on her own terms.

Grande is preparing a limited tour in 2026 to support Eternal Sunshine. The run begins June 6 in Oakland and includes stops in Los Angeles, Atlanta, Chicago and Montreal, culminating with multiple shows at London’s O2 Arena in August. Her previous full-scale touring concluded with the Sweetener World Tour in late 2019.

On the podcast she also touched on early guidance received from Madonna and Beyoncé, the role of “cringe” culture in today’s internet, and more. Watch the full interview on YouTube: Shut Up Evan — Ariana Grande interview.

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