Though Ariana Grande has been booked and busy in her Glinda bubble thanks to Wicked and its upcoming installment, Wicked: For Good, music is still a huge part of her life. The Grammy winner sent her devoted Arianators into a frenzy when she posted a cryptic message on her Instagram feed on Wednesday, August 27.
The clip, which was a joint post with her Brighter Days Instagram account, featured futuristic visuals that called back to her short film of the same name. “Announcement loading,” the screen read, before an error message appeared, revealing a new one: “See you next year...”
Of course, this is merely an announcement for an announcement, but fans have been eager for the “we can’t be friends (wait for your love)” singer to hit the road since she last toured in 2019. Yes, she’s been everywhere on her press tour for Wicked, but the idea of her returning to her pop star roots isn’t completely off the table.
During an interview with Variety at the Golden Globes First-Time Nominees luncheon in December 2024, the Golden Globe nominee opened up about her relationship with her fans and the possibility of a tour in support of her album, eternal sunshine.
“I feel so grateful to the acting, and I think my fans know that music and being on stage will always be a part of my life, but I don’t see it coming anytime soon. I think the next few years, hopefully we’ll be exploring different forms of art, and I think acting is feeling like home right now,” she told the outlet.
She continued, “I am appreciative for their understanding. I’m so grateful for the ways in which we’ve grown together over this whole journey with Wicked. But music will always be a part of my life. I’ll perform at my mother’s house.”
During a separate conversation for Variety’s Awards Circuit podcast in January 2025, Ari admitted, “I’m out there so much right now. I want to let my children miss me for two seconds.”
She later added, “I was considering a mini-tour between the Wicked films, but I’ve decided to prioritize acting for now. Performing will always be a part of my life, but I want to focus on this chapter of storytelling through film.”
ICYMI, Wicked: For Good drops this November, and her announcement hints at something happening in 2026. A tour after awards season isn’t a far-fetched idea, especially after she released the deluxe version of her album, eternal sunshine: brighter days ahead, and a short film, on March 28.
In the meantime, we’ll be waiting patiently—and gathering our coins—for Mother Ariana to slide us more details.
