Ariana Grande received a rapturous reception from British fans on Saturday evening as she launched her Eternal Sunshine tour at London’s O2 Arena, amid growing concerns for the singer’s health. Grande, who released her latest album Petal in July, performed the first of 10 sold-out shows at the venue – they will be her last before she withdraws from public life in September.
Fans React to Opening Night
The American star, 33, stunned fans by confirming plans to take an indefinite career break after a tumultuous five-year period, during which she released two albums and won accolades for her starring role as Glinda in the Wicked film franchise. Devoted fans were on hand to support their idol as she brushed off ongoing concern for her health by working her way through an accomplished 23-track set list.
Hitting back at the controversy surrounding Grande after the show, one fan wrote: “All the hate and fuss about Ariana Grande made me realise fame is really a curse, people are so weird… you don’t even know her personally and made a lot of assumptions based on her personal relationship.” A second added: “I still can’t believe I saw Ariana live. Like, I saw THE Ariana Grande perform right in front of my eyes, forever crying.”
Elsewhere, a third impressed fan wrote: “BOTTOM LINE: Ariana Grande didn’t just return with a pop concert. She delivered a reminder of why she became a global superstar. An elite voice, emotional storytelling, and a connection with millions of fans.” Another commented: “… to see her PERFORM again after all these years? Soooo magical.”
Addressing Health Concerns
Grande’s notably frail appearance has been a source of concern in some quarters, prompting the singer to address the issue herself in an emotional Instagram post, shared with followers in November. Reposting a joint interview with her Wicked co-star Cynthia Erivo, she captioned the post: “Resharing this from last year as a loving reminder to all.” She then went on to explain that while she was used to people commenting on her appearance, it sent out a "dangerous" message.
Speaking to web series Oui Oui Baguette, she said: "In today's society, there is a comfortability that we shouldn't have at all - commenting on others' looks, appearance, what they think is going on behind the scenes, or health or how they present themselves ... that I think is really dangerous." While Grande spoke about the downsides of being in the public eye, viewers saw Cynthia gently hold her hand in a bid to support her close friend.
She continued: "I've been doing this in front of the public, and been a specimen in a petri-dish since I was 16 or 17. It’s hard to protect yourself from that noise, and I think it's something that is uncomfortable no matter what scale you're experiencing it on. I'm really lucky to have the support system that I have, and to know and trust that I'm beautiful."
Past Struggles and Tour Finale
Grande’s change in appearance has been the subject of concern since she started the promotional tour for Wicked in 2024, prompting fans to take to social media and express their fears. Taking to X on the back of seeing her on the red carpet for the SAG Awards earlier this year, one fan wrote: "For real tho. Is Ariana Grande ok?... I'm actually worried." Another said: "Someone's got to intervene with Ariana because something is NOT right with her." A third added: "I hope Ariana is healthy."
In 2023, she took to TikTok and posted a three-minute video after the public were comparing her to when she was younger. She said at the time: "There are many different ways to look healthy and beautiful. And personally, for me, the body that you've been comparing my current body to was the unhealthiest version of my body." She added: "I was on a lot of antidepressants and drinking on them and eating poorly and at the lowest point of my life when I looked the way you consider my healthy, but that, in fact, wasn't my healthy."
Addressing fans on Saturday evening, Grande said: “Hi London. Oh this is so overwhelming. Holy s**t. Every single show that we do, it gets louder. But this by the far the loudest. There's so much in this room right now. I'm just so grateful to be doing this with you all. I love you so much. As you know, London is our final stop on this tour. I want to say, I'm going to savour every single second of these last ten shows with you guys, and this is one of my favourite places in the world. I wrote a song about a pub in Hampstead. I lived here for a while, so you always have a special place in my heart, and I just wanted to say before I sing it, thank you to my fans for being the most incredible, loving humans on this earth. We've been connected over the last 15 years. Thank you for being such a beautiful presence in my life. I love you so much.”
Grande will perform 10 shows at the O2 before taking a break, as confirmed by her spokesperson in a recent statement to PEOPLE. The former child star was devastated after suicide bomber Salman Abedi detonated an explosive device while she performed at Manchester Arena in 2017, killing himself and 22 others – many of them children. Grande, who struggled with post-traumatic stress disorder following the incident, later returned to Manchester after organising the One Love benefit gig to support surviving victims of the atrocity. The following year Grande’s ex-boyfriend, US rapper Mac Miller, was found dead in Los Angeles following an accidental drug overdose. Grande is now believed to be dating former boyfriend Ricky Alvarez after ending her three-year relationship with Wicked co-star Ethan Slater.
