Why Ariana Grande Skipped the 2026 VMAs Despite 8 Nominations

Ariana Grande is nominated for 8 awards at the 2026 VMAs, including Video of the Year and Artist of the Year, but she is not expected to attend this year’s ceremony.While Ari hasn’t commented on the VMAs specifically, she made it clear that she’d be taking a step back from “visibility” and public appearances after the conclusion of her Eternal Sunshine Tour—which ended in early September.A representative for the singer told People in a statement that “Ariana will be taking a step back from visibility after she completes the Eternal Sunshine Tour.”They added, “She looks forward to finishing the tour and ending it on a high note, both healthily and happily, and then taking a much-deserved break from public-facing work and appearances, which has led to endless, ongoing public scrutiny. This tour has been a beautiful experience for her. She loves her fans and has loved every minute of this tour so much.”It’s unclear when Ari will be back in the public eye, but she is no longer appearing in the West End show Sunday in the Park with George with Wicked co-star Jonathan Bailey. The Barbican released a statement saying, “We can confirm that she has decided to step back from Sunday in the Park with George. We know this cannot have been an easy decision, and she makes it with our complete understanding and support. We wish her nothing but the best.”