Ariana Grande performed for the final time on her Eternal Sunshine Tour at the O2 as she prepares for a life away from the public eye due to ‘endless, ongoing public scrutiny’
Ariana Grande delivered an emotional goodbye to fans on Tuesday night (September 1) as she took to stage for the final time before stepping away from the spotlight. The 33-year-old’s Eternal Sunshine Tour wrapped up at the O2, where she had appeared 10 times across a two-and-a-half-week period.
Questions surrounding the singer and actress’s health have been raised in recent years due to her seemingly significant weight loss. Additionally, the pop icon was profoundly impacted by the Manchester Arena bombing, which took place at her concert in May 2017, tragically killing 22 people and wounding a further 1,017.
Ariana made her return to the city just a month afterwards, having organised a benefit concert titled One Love Manchester, with all funds raised going towards the victims and families affected by the devastating terrorist attack.
She subsequently achieved success on the big screen too, particularly in her portrayal of Glinda in Wicked and Wicked: For Good. However, Ariana has now withdrawn from the public eye, citing “endless, ongoing public scrutiny” as her reason in a statement.
Ninety minutes into her performance at the O2, she spoke to the crowd and was visibly overcome with emotion.
“This has been such an extraordinary experience,” she told the sold-out audience. “Thank you for 10 beautiful London shows and for 41 incredible Eternal Sunshine tour shows.”
Ariana continued: “This has been one of the most beautiful, extraordinary experiences of my life and I just want to express my gratitude. I’ll cherish this experience always – I have the best fans in the entire world and I always have. Thank you for being by my side.”
And she became visibly moved for a second time during the evening as she paid tribute to the dancers, security personnel, makeup artists and runners who contributed to the tour, which kicked off at the Oakland Arena in California on June 6.
Following the circulation of her message on social media, one fan wrote: “Poor baby, we love you so much Ariana. Take all the time you need to rest.”
A second person added: “Thank you for gifting us with this so special tour, it will remain forever in our memories. I don’t know how long this hiatus will last, but I’ll be here when you’re ready to come back.”
While a third commented: “You can feel how emotional this moment was. After everything she’s been through and accomplished, ending the tour like this must have been overwhelming. What an unforgettable chapter.”
And a fourth declared: “It’s over. Thank you for all the excitement, love, dances and tears you gave us. Thank you for all the art you brought into this world. You deserve to take all the time you need. love you forever and deeply, Ariana.”
Ariana’s closing two performances were affected by a foot injury, which prevented her from wearing heels on stage. “My sweet petals, I wanted to let you know I will need to be in cosy footwear for this evening’s show (and possibly tomorrow’s) as I am bandaged up underneath, recovering from a minor injury,” she wrote on Instagram.
“It is not a sprain or anything muscular but just a deep cut! So when you see me tonight without my signature heels, or even possibly having a little trouble putting weight on that foot, that is why!
“But please do not fret. On with the show and I am on the mend. I cannot wait to perform for you tonight and tomorrow (even if I am a few inches shorter than usual). I love you always… Two more..”
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