Ariana Grande brought her Eternal Sunshine tour to a close with a tearful farewell at London’s O2 Arena on Tuesday night ahead of her public break.
According to the Independent, the 33-year-old singer became visibly emotional midway through the two-hour show, which capped a ten-night London residency and marked the end of the three-month tour.
Ariana’s hiatus follows a message she shared with fans as she wrapped up the North American leg of the tour in early August.
Why Ariana Grande is taking a break from public life
The decision to step away comes after months of intense scrutiny over Ariana’s appearance and health.
In a statement issued in August, Ariana’s representative said she was looking forward to “finishing the tour and ending it on a high note, both healthily and happily, and then taking a much-deserved break from public-facing work and appearances, which has led to endless, ongoing public scrutiny”.
At a Chicago show shortly after that announcement, Ariana read from a prepared note, insisting the plan wasn’t “a reactive or impulsive thing”.
“It’s something that I had decided to plan,” she told fans.
Ariana Grande’s emotional O2 Arena speech
Speaking to the crowd partway through the concert on Tuesday night, Ariana thanked fans for making the tour “one of the most beautiful, extraordinary experiences of my life,” according to the Independent and Variety.
“I just want to express my gratitude without sobbing completely,” she told the audience. “But really, thank you from the bottom of my heart, it’s been so special and I’ll cherish this experience always. I have the best fans in the entire world and I always have.”
“And I love your outfits, I love your faces, I love seeing you, I love connecting with you in this way,” the Wicked star said. “Thank you for all of your effort for making this so special.”
Inside the Eternal Sunshine Tour’s final shows
Ariana kicked off the tour with three dates in Oakland, California, in June, before playing 41 shows in total across North America and London. The final ten nights all took place at the O2 Arena.
Just as she had the previous night, the singer performed in flat, above-the-knee boots. She had earlier explained she needed “cosy footwear” on stage after suffering a “deep cut” to her foot.
During the show, Ariana also tweaked the lyrics to Thank U, Next, singing “Wrote some songs about Ricky / I’m tryna make him my last” — a nod to former boyfriend Ricky Alvarez. She hasn’t publicly confirmed a reunion, though she posted a photo of the pair together in August.
Ariana Grande set to appear in Focker-In-Law movie
Despite the hiatus, fans will see Ariana on screen again soon. She stars in Focker-In-Law, the latest Meet the Parents instalment, due in UK cinemas on November 25.
Read more: Ariana Grande’s comments about her health ahead of ‘much-deserved’ break
Directed by John Hamburg, the comedy reunites Ben Stiller and Robert De Niro. Ariana plays Olivia Jones, a former FBI hostage negotiator dating Stiller’s son in the film, Henry.
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