Ariana Grande’s final gig? Pop superstar ends emotional London O2 residency
The Wicked star will take a step back from public life following the end of her latest tour
The curtain has fallen on Ariana Grande’s emotional residency at London’s O2 Arena — and with it comes a break from public life for the pop superstar.
In the face of intense media scrutiny, Grande last night capped off a 10-night run at the London venue — the final stretch of her Eternal Sunshine world tour which kicked off in the US in June. 200,000 travelled the globe to see the London leg alone.
"This has been one of the most beautiful, extraordinary experiences of my life. I just wanted to express my gratitude without sobbing completely," she said near the show’s finale.
"I'll cherish this experience always. I have the best fans in the entire world and I always have. Thank you for all of your effort and continuing to make this so special.
"I have loved every minute of this with you all and I just wanted to make sure I express how grateful I am."
The gig (which Shortlist was in attendance for) was a masterclass in pop, with Grande blasting out hits including ‘Thank U, Next’, ‘Break Free’ and ‘One Last Time’. Elaborate, narrative-driven staging saw the star dance around a haunted house, run down a projection-mapped Wicked-nodding Brick Road, and eventually ascend into the rafters.
But the gig also represents a point of uncertainty for the star, with fans left unsure when Grande will return to the stage.
What’s next for Ariana Grande?
Grande’s Eternal Sunshine tour had always been billed as the singer’s final run of gigs for a while — in themselves her first tour in seven years. Grande had been intending to focus on her acting career, following an Oscar-nominated role in Wicked.
During a gig in Chicago in August, Grande addressed her decision to take a step back, saying it "was not a reactive or impulsive thing. It is something that I had decided to plan... quietly, a long time ago."
But it did not stop fans from speculating about Grande’s frail appearance, leading many to wonder if a health reason was the driving factor in Grande's decision.
Grande had been set to return to London next summer for a production of Stephen Sondheim's Sunday in the Park with George at London's Barbican, alongside Wicked co-star Jonathan Bailey. But Grande announced she would not be taking part, leading to Bailey also leaving the production.
Grande’s life-long career — she was a child star on the Nickelodeon TV network — has been often hit with tragedy. Twenty-two people were killed and 1,017 injured at a Grande show in Manchester in 2017. Grande’s one-time partner Mac Miller also passed away due to an accidental drug overdose in 2018.
If it is the final gig — and public outing — for Grande for the foreseeable future, she leaves the stage on a high. There are few pop stars more deserving of a break.
Ariana Grande's September 1st, London O2 Arena setlist was:
- Act I
- petal (intro)
- yes, and?
- positions
- dandelion
- the boy is mine (extended outro)
- Act II
- kiss me / Saturn Returns Interlude (video interlude)
- eternal sunshine (with live looped vocals layers intro)
- just like magic (extended outro)
- The Way / break up with your girlfriend, i'm bored / no tears left to cry / God is a woman (interlude)
- thank u, next
- 7 rings (extended)
- Act III
- freak (video interlude)
- imperfect for you
- warm (extended intro)
- safety net
- One Last Time
- Rain on Me (extended intro)
- Break Free
- Act IV
- (Video interlude: excerpts from "The Wizard of Oz", "The Way", "Be Alright" and "better off")
- twilight zone
- past life
- Dangerous Woman
- kiss me
- oh well
- nowhere, nobody
- like i do
- Honeymoon Avenue
- Hampstead (extended outro)
- Act V
- (Video interlude)
- Into You
- hate that i made you love me
- Encore:
- we can't be friends (wait for your love)
- supernatural
- ordinary things
- (Video outro with versions of "peaches";)
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