Global superstar Ariana Grande has revealed that her highly anticipated 2026 Eternal Sunshine tour will likely serve as her 'last hurrah' for the foreseeable future. The singer suggested that another large-scale concert series may not happen for a 'long, long, long, long, long time', making these upcoming shows a potentially final, grand gesture to her fans.
A New Creative Chapter
During a candid appearance on Amy Poehler's Good Hang podcast, Grande opened up about her evolving career and shifting priorities. She explained that her perspective has changed as she has reconnected with her artistic roots beyond pop music. 'I think I just am feeling a lot more connected to myself and my art since I started doing different things,' Grande shared. 'I spent so much time only doing pop music, but I grew up as a girl who loved musical theatre and comedy.'
This renewed focus is evident in her recent projects. After rising to fame on Nickelodeon's Victorious in 2009 and releasing her debut album in 2013, Grande has successfully returned to her acting origins. Her critically acclaimed role as Glinda in the film adaptation of Wicked earned her Oscar and Bafta nominations for Best Supporting Actress. She has since reprised the part in the sequel, Wicked: For Good, released on 21 November.
The 2026 Tour: A Final Bow?
Announced in August, the Eternal Sunshine tour marks Grande's first live performances since 2019. The schedule includes a run across the US and Canada in June and August of 2026, culminating in a significant 10-show residency at The O2 in London.
Grande was emphatic that she has no current plans for further tours following this engagement. 'I feel very privileged and grateful to have learned that there can be room for different creative endeavours,' she stated. 'I think the last 10 or 15 years will look very different to the ones that are coming up. I do know that I’m very excited to do this small tour, but I think it might not happen again for a long, long, long, long time. So, I’m going to give it my all.'
She clarified, however, that this does not signal a retirement from music. Earlier this year, the singer reassured fans on social media that she has no intention of abandoning her first love. 'Very silly of you all to assume that just because I have my hands full with many things that I plan to abandon singing & music! It is and has always been my lifeline,' she wrote.
Looking Beyond the Stage
Grande's future appears to be firmly rooted in a diverse portfolio of projects that authentically interest her. She hinted at her current involvement in a new film, which sources indicate is the recently wrapped Focker-in-Law, the fourth instalment in the Meet the Parents franchise.
'I am doing a movie right now because it’s a role that I read the script and I love it and it’s funny and I love the cast and I'm so excited,' she told the podcast. 'And then I’m going to do a small stint of shows next year because that is something that authentically sounded good to me.'
The thematic inspiration for this potential farewell tour is deeply personal. Her seventh studio album, Eternal Sunshine, is a concept album whose heartbreak themes and the music video for 'We Can’t Be Friends' are loosely inspired by the 2004 science fiction romance film Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.
For her British fans, the London O2 residency will be a particularly poignant opportunity to witness what may be Ariana Grande's last major tour, a final, powerful performance before she steps into a new era of her multifaceted career.
