Fans lose easy access to Ariana Grande after she closed the Eternal Sunshine tour in London and announced a prolonged retreat from public life.
The 33-year-old artist finished a 10-night O2 residency that drew 200,000 people, then told the audience she planned to step away, saying she may not tour again for a "long, long" time. The final show was emotional, with Grande moving close to tears during One Last Time and kneeling to be nearer to the crowd.
Grande began the tour in the US in June and had framed the run as "one last hurrah", saying she intended to pursue more acting after her Oscar-nominated role in Wicked. She also confirmed a wider withdrawal from public-facing appearances last month, after the music video for Petal prompted online concern about her weight. A fan on X wrote that she had "become so thin that people are genuinely concerned". Two days later her publicist described a planned "step back from visibility" because of "endless, ongoing public scrutiny".
On stage she showed no obvious fragility beyond a foot injury that forced her to trade stilettos for knee-high platform boots. Her voice faltered briefly on the line "Hard to believe in a perfect ending" during Nowhere, Nobody, but she recovered and completed the performance attached to a harness as she rose from the stage. She thanked fans, saying, "I have loved every minute of this with you all and I just wanted to make sure I express how grateful I am." On Instagram she said the foot injury was not serious, that she was "on the mend" and would finish the shows "even if I am a few inches shorter than usual."
Critical response to the run was largely positive. Rolling Stone said there were "no signs" of her struggling. The Telegraph called the show "flawless" and praised its "Hollywood-indebted" staging and Grande's "genuine affection for Britain." The BBC highlighted quieter moments such as Imperfect For You as "delicate and gorgeous and strangely intimate in a room of 20,000 people." By contrast, Guardian writer Kate Solomon said she was "gripped by genuine concern," adding, "I really hope this tour does not go down in history for the wrong reasons." NME praised Grande's physicality, noting the athleticism of her performances.
The singer also withdrew from a planned production of Stephen Sondheim's Sunday in the Park with George at London's Barbican next summer. Jonathan Bailey, who was due to appear with her, also pulled out on Tuesday. Grande's decision ends this chapter of live performance while leaving open whether she will return to touring or focus on acting projects.
