Grace VanderWaal is prioritizing her well-being. The former "America's Got Talent" star returned to social media to share a heart-wrenching update. "Hi everyone, it's been a bit," the 22-year-old wrote on Instagram on March 9. "I'm glad to be back and talk to you all. Unfortunately, I won't be joining Natalie Jane's tour due to mental health reasons."
"I've been struggling for a while and am choosing to prioritize myself in this moment," she continued. "I love you Natalie and know you're going to kill it, and I'm sorry to anyone who's disappointed." The "High" singer, who was set to join Natalie on tour in the U.S. and UK through June, shared her hope for the future with her fans, revealing that she plans to return to performing when she's ready.
"I love you so much and will be singing very soon," she wrote. "Thank you guys for understanding. Again, so much love. – G." Grace further expressed her regrets to her fans, captioning her heartfelt post, "I apologize, sending love to all of you."
The news was met with support from fellow performer Natalie Jane, who wrote in the comments, "Health comes first always!!!" Singer Jewel also extended her love, writing, "Here for you, sis!" Carson Daly also celebrated Grace's honesty and advocacy for mental health, adding, "Mental Health is health. Wish more young artists would be as honest with themselves as you are being. Good on you."
Grace - whose mother Tina VanderWaal died in October following a cancer battle - has previously detailed the toll her win on "America's Got Talent" at the age of 12 had on her wellbeing. "Looking back, I have definitely faced the mental repercussions of that growing up," she told E! News in 2022. "I keep learning about how to take care of myself better and my biggest thing recently is just acknowledging your triggers."
"I've been doing this for so long that you get desensitized to hate online," she added. "I went through a ton of hate online when I was really young. I'm happy it happened though because it prepared me for this life."
