Ariana Grande has hinted at a major reveal for next year, sharing a mysterious new trailer that suggests fans may soon see the pop star back on stage. The short video, posted to her Instagram account over the weekend, ended with the words “See you next year… Announcement loading,” sparking speculation about her long-awaited return to live music.

The teaser ties back to Brighter Days Ahead, the short film Grande released earlier this year. In it, she plays “Peaches,” an older woman who visits a fictional facility called Brighter Days Inc. to revisit memories she had erased after a breakup. The film concluded with Peaches silently closing her eyes, seemingly at peace with her past.

The new trailer suggests that may not have been the final chapter. A robotic voice declares, “A corrupt file has been found and corrected,” before showing the wrinkled hand of Peaches preparing to access one more memory. From there, the screen fades to black with the promise of an “announcement” in 2026.

Grande has not offered further information about the project, leaving open the possibility that it could involve new music, a tour, or both. Fans have long awaited news of her return to the stage, particularly since she has not performed a full concert since the end of her Sweetener World Tour in December 2019. That absence means she has yet to perform songs from either of her two most recent albums, Positions (2020) and Eternal Sunshine (2024) in a live setting.

In July, Grande reassured fans that music remains a central part of her plans, despite her commitments to acting. “I’m working on a plan to sing for you all next year, even if it’s just for a little,” she wrote on Instagram at the time. “I love you.”

Grande has spent much of the past two years focused on the two-part film adaptation of Wicked, in which she stars as Glinda. The role, one she has described as a dream since childhood, has required extensive filming and promotional work. Even so, she has pushed back against suggestions that she might be stepping away from music. “I have no plans to abandon singing and music,” she told fans in July. Her latest teaser appears to reinforce that message, hinting at plans to re-engage with her musical career on a larger scale.

Part of the anticipation stems from Grande’s complicated relationship with touring. On the Zach Sang Show earlier this year, she admitted she had “a really hard time emotionally” during her last world tour and needed space before considering a return. “I needed to redefine my relationship to shows when I’m ready,” she said.

Her recent comments suggest she may now be approaching that point. “It may not look exactly like it did before, but I much prefer how it looks in my head,” Grande explained in her July Instagram post. “I am having fun. I feel grateful and excited and inspired, finding a balance between many projects and endeavors I love, and doing it my own way.”