Ariana Grande is bringing the Eternal Sunshine Tour toward its finish line, and the final chapter is already proving to be an emotional one.
The pop superstar opened her London run at The O2 Arena as part of a 10-show residency marking the last stretch of the tour. Grande appeared moved by the reception from the crowd, telling fans how grateful she was to be back in a city that has become particularly meaningful to her.
London is more than another tour stop for Grande. She spent significant time in the city while working on the Wicked films, and she has made clear that the British capital holds a special place in her life. Now it is also where she will close out one of the biggest live chapters of her recent career.
The London dates follow the completion of the North American leg in Chicago earlier this month. Grande has repeatedly expressed her appreciation for the audiences who have welcomed her back to the road after a lengthy absence from major touring.
Her current production is built around a 26-song set, pairing hits from across her career with elaborate choreography and theatrical staging. Ballet and classic Hollywood touches help give the concert a visual identity that goes beyond the traditional pop arena show.
The tour itself has been something of a comeback. Grande had not mounted a major tour since the Sweetener World Tour, which ended in 2019. In the years between, her career expanded further into acting, most notably through her role as Glinda in Wicked.
That makes the emotion surrounding these final concerts understandable. Grande is not simply wrapping another string of arena dates. She is reaching the end of a tour that brought her back to an audience she had not encountered on this scale in years.
There is another reason the London finale carries extra weight. Grande is expected to step away from public-facing work after the tour, making the remaining shows a temporary farewell to the relentless visibility that has accompanied this stage of her career.
For now, however, she still has London.
With the residency continuing through September 1, Grande has several more nights to celebrate Eternal Sunshine with her fans before the curtain falls. Judging by the emotion of opening night, keeping those final shows sentimental may not be difficult.
