Ariana Grande's Eternal Sunshine tour opening night at the O2 was a masterclass in vulnerability and vocal power, surprising a critic expecting a timid show.
Arriving at the O2 for the opening night of the Eternal Sunshine tour, I was anticipating a more timid, reserved singer given the endless discourse surrounding her personal life. I couldn't have been more wrong. Far from those early show wobbles caught on the US leg, she was cool, collected, and surprisingly vulnerable.
A Spectacular Opening
Before Ariana, 33, was even revealed, fans were screaming as she posed behind a curtain with her dancers. After a 10-minute countdown and an intro film, the curtain fell and there she was in all her five-foot glory. Despite 'Yes, And?' being one of the weaker songs off Eternal Sunshine, it made complete sense to open the show. It was her last big single before Petal, and an easy crowd pleaser without bringing out anything too nostalgic too early on.
She then switched things up and gave us 'Positions' – a timeless bop. The set hopped effortlessly between upbeat tracks, complete with dance breaks in dizzying high heels, and slower emotional numbers. She'd divided the show into five acts, each with a high-concept interlude nodding to the Jim Carrey film the tour is named after. Each interlude video paints a scene of Ariana travelling through her own mind as memories are wiped clean. It was particularly gut-wrenching to see the One Love Manchester version of herself sat in a clinical chair being erased.
Vulnerability and Strength
With the clear bag rule in place at the O2, the events of May 22, 2017, felt incredibly close to home. In these snippets, Ariana's state of mind is on full display, possibly more than she ever intended it to be. Despite the shattered mirrors and flood imagery, the songs themselves never get too melancholy. The setlist weaves through slow moments and fan favourites without missing a beat.
For London's first show, she pulled out all the stops and gave us the famed 'Break Free' opt up, where she sings in a higher note. In 'Dangerous Woman', she was playing with her vocals, giving us some of the absolute belters she's become so known for. 'Thank U Next' got one of the biggest cheers of the evening as Ariana sang 'Wrote some songs about Ricky, we always found our way back'. It's her first show since going Instagram official with ex-boyfriend Ricky Alvarez and she couldn't help but laugh at the changed lyric and fans' obvious enthusiasm for the romance.
Authentic Moments and Fan Favourites
Moments like this are what make Ariana so endearing; whether she's giggling with her dancers or blowing kisses to the crowd, it all feels deeply authentic. There's a warmth that exudes from Ariana, especially as she sat down at the end of her catwalk to introduce 'Hampstead' – a favourite for London fans. She explained how there's a pub in Hampstead that she loves to visit, but the rumoured venue has apparently shut for renovations for the whole time she's here. Maybe that's why her rendition felt so emotional, with Ariana appearing to tear up at one point, telling fans 'you're going to make me cry'.
It's no surprise Viagogo reported that the search for tickets was enough to fill the O2 Arena 50 times over. This was one tour fans were determined not to miss, even travelling from as far as New Zealand. Never one to stay down for too long, she quickly brought the mood back up with 'Into You' – an all timer from her discography. Here, in the final act, she brought in some of her new music and it's the perfect way to end the show. After two hours of her showing off her vocal acrobatics, 'Petal' is a much more restrained album, possibly in an attempt to distance herself from the bubble-wielding witch she's just played.
Her choices of 'Hate That I Made You Love Me', 'Bunny Hop', 'Kiss Me' and 'Petal' made complete sense for wrapping up the show on a high. By the end, I was sad to see her leave the stage, which she did by floating upwards into the ceiling, imitating her Eternal Sunshine deluxe album cover. The last of the great belters, Ariana is an undeniable powerhouse and utterly at home on stage, even if the roar of public opinion off-stage has become ear-splitting.
