Ariana Grande made her highly anticipated return to the UK stage on Saturday night, kicking off a 10-date run at London's O2 arena as part of her "Eternal Sunshine" tour. Despite the sweltering heat marking the tail end of the country's fifth summer heatwave, thousands of dedicated fans packed the venue to welcome the 33-year-old pop star back for her first UK performance since 2019.
The arena was filled with high energy as concertgoers arrived dressed in themed outfits, including cat ears, elaborate floral headpieces, and bridal gowns. The crowd erupted in screams when Grande referenced rumors regarding her personal life, and danced in unison to high-energy club anthems like "Into You" and "Break Free." The long gap since her last UK appearance was due in part to the Covid-19 pandemic and her commitment to filming the movie adaptation of the musical Wicked, in which she plays Glinda the Good Witch—a role that earned her an Oscar nomination. On stage, Grande paid subtle homage to the role with a few of Glinda's signature hair tosses.
While the production featured typical pop spectacle elements—including massive sets, plumes of smoke, and intricate choreography—the core of the two-hour show was Grande's stunning four-octave vocal range. At various points, the elaborate staging faded into the background, leaving only Grande and her live band. Demonstrating her technical skill as a vocalist and arranger, Grande recreated a live version of her studio process. After her opening set, she hushed the crowd and spent two minutes live-looping her own voice. She layered the lyric, "I don't care what people say, it's true" in both high and low registers, adding short phrases like "Won't break. Can't Shake. Deep breaths…. Tight chest. Life. Death. Rewind." This looped vocal arrangement served as the backing track for her performance of the title track, "Eternal Sunshine."
The theme of the tour, which kicked off in California two months ago and concludes in London next month, draws inspiration from Michel Gondry's 2004 film Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. The narrative, conveyed largely through lavish video interludes, explores themes of reckoning, reconciliation, and the choice to hold onto painful memories rather than erasing them. For Grande, this narrative carries deep personal resonance, having survived major tragedies and heartbreaks, including the death of her former boyfriend Mac Miller and the 2017 Manchester Arena bombing that claimed the lives of 22 of her fans.
The tour's themes of self-preservation have taken on extra weight in recent weeks. Under intense public scrutiny regarding her personal life, health, and weight, Grande has announced plans to step away from the public eye and pause touring once the London residency concludes. The singer reassured her fanbase that this decision to take a lengthy break from live performance was planned "a long time ago" and comes from a "thoughtful, empowered place."
On the O2 stage, however, any personal struggles remained completely invisible. Grande appeared to be thoroughly enjoying herself, navigating the stage in perilous heels, blowing kisses, and fully embracing the physical demands of the show. During a brief pause in the music, she addressed the crowd, saying, "This is so incredibly overwhelming. I'm just going to savour every single second of these last 10 shows." Her composure wavered only slightly during a lyric in which she sang, "But I knew who I was when I got here," though she quickly smiled and explained she was reacting to an emotional audience member, saying, "You'll make me cry."
The concert began with a dramatic opening sequence, featuring Grande and her dancers posing in silhouette before she strutted forward to perform "Yes, And?" She followed with the fluid choreography of "Positions" and donned her signature bunny ears for a performance of "The Boy Is Mine." The latter track holds personal significance, as she is reportedly dating her former dancer Ricky Alvarez once again, ten years after their initial split, with the couple going Instagram official last week. While the setlist heavily favored tracks from her 2024 album Eternal Sunshine—leaving out major past hits like "God Is A Woman," "Problem," and "Break Up With Your Girlfriend, I'm Bored"—she kept crowd-pleasers like "7 Rings" and her Lady Gaga collaboration "Rain On Me." Other highlights included a powerful rendition of "Dangerous Woman," vocal riffs on "Safety Net," and "We Can't Be Friends," during which audience members attempted the viral "silence challenge" popular on the American leg of the tour.
Some of the most poignant moments of the night were the quietest. For "Imperfect For You," Grande performed on a B-stage that extended toward the back of the arena, sitting face-to-face with her long-time guitarist Johnny Najeraas. The intimate, bedroom-style performance delivered a hopeful message that broken people can find happiness. Following the show, fans expressed overwhelming praise. Harry, a Chinese fan living in London, described the concert as "Ten out of ten. A masterpiece." Poppy from Kent, who secured a spot at the front, said, "When she came on stage, I was right at the front, so I was literally bawling. She's the best singer ever." Clare, who traveled from Monaghan in Ireland for the opening night, added, "It was probably the best concert I've ever been at. We didn't get to shake hands with her, but we were definitely breathing the same air."
Fans also voiced strong support for Grande's decision to step away from performing for what she described as "a long, long, long, long, long time." Brian, a French fan attending multiple London dates, said, "I'm proud of her. She took a stand to keep away the remarks, the critics." Cory from Banbury expressed frustration with the public pressure, stating, "It's awful. The public has bullied her out of it. We've bullied her out of fame. I think that's gross." Damon, another Chinese fan, remained optimistic about her future, saying, "She needed time to recover. Maybe she will make some more movies… I love her movies. And if she comes back, we'll be in the front row."
If you dig around on Grande's YouTube channel, there's a famous video of her recording the song Positions, external, directing her sound engineers as she layers vocal harmonies and ad libs, finding new note combinations on the fly.
They're also the backstory of the whole show.
