Ariana Grande ends tour and steps back from public life

As she wrapped up her Eternal Sunshine tour, and prepared to step back from public life, ariana Grande created an emotional exit on Tuesday night.

Key points

• The step-back includes Grande's withdrawal from a production of Stephen Sondheim's Sunday in the Park with George at London's Barbican next summer.
• They flew in from all over the world – from China and Australia and cities all throughout Europe – with 200, 000 residents attending the London dates alone.
• That meant her 10 show residency at London's O2 Arena represented plenty of fans' last chance to see her in concert.
• On the second night, Grande surprised the audience by bringing out her Wicked co-star Cynthia Erivo for a rendition of their movie duet For Good.
• The BBC's review highlighted quieter songs like Imperfect For You, describing them as "delicate and gorgeous and strangely intimate in a room of 20, 000 people".

Notably, the singer was occasionally close to tears – most notably during One Last Time, the song that took on extra meaning as an anthem for survivors of the 2017 Manchester terror attack.

"London, I'm going to need you to help me on this one, " she remarked, kneeling down to be near the audience throughout the performance.

Last month, Grande confirmed a break from all future public-facing appearances after months of intense speculation regarding her health and appearance.

Meanwhile, the step-back includes Grande's withdrawal from a production of Stephen Sondheim's Sunday in the Park with George at London's Barbican next summer.

She was due to appear alongside her Wicked co-star Jonathan Bailey. He additionally pulled out of the production on Tuesday.

On stage in London, Grande indicated no signs of fragility or poor health – other than a foot injury that required her to swap her trademark stilettos for a succession of knee-high platform boots.

Nonetheless, she sprang throughout the stage in sync with her dancers, often on tip-toe to compensate for the lost height of her high heels.

As she sang the line: "Hard to believe in a perfect ending.", but her composure slipped during the song Nowhere, Nobody.

In practice, the blip was short-lived, though. Professional to the core, Grande was never less than magnetic on stage.

Addressing the audience towards the end of the show, the singer thanked fans for their backing.

"This has been one of the most beautiful extraordinary experiences of my life and I just wanted to express my gratitude without sobbing completely, " she remarked.

I'll cherish this experience always. I have the best fans in the entire world and I always have. Thank you for all of your effort and continuing to create this so special.

"I have loved every minute of this with you all and I just wanted to make sure I express how grateful I am." 'Boundaries need to be set'.

Grande confirmed her hiatus last month, shortly after releasing the music video for her latest single, Petal. It led some fans to express concern concerning her weight.

One wrote on X that the 33-year-old had "become so thin that people are genuinely concerned".

Two days afterwards, Grande's publicist unveiled her "step back from visibility", due to "endless, ongoing public scrutiny".

Speaking to Individuals magazine, a source close to the singer observed that she "performs a very physical show. Healthily and successfully at a very high level night after night".

Grande herself moved to reassure fans the after night, saying her decision came from a "thoughtful, empowered place", and had been planned "a long time ago".

"I heard my fans were worried negativity was ruining things for me but. That could not be more than the opposite, " she remarked on stage in Chicago.

"Boundaries need to be set, human beings do need a break sometimes."

Even before that announcement, Grande had described the Eternal Sunshine tour – which began in the US in June – as "one last hurrah", saying she wanted to take more acting roles after her Oscar-nominated performance in Wicked.

On the second night, Grande surprised the audience by bringing out her Wicked co-star Cynthia Erivo for a rendition of their movie duet For Good. Throughout the board, reviews were positive.

"There's no question about it – Ariana Grande is one of the best singers of her generation, " wrote Rolling Stone magazine, external, noting that "there were no signs" of the singer "struggling or not wanting to be there".

In practice, the Telegraph called the show "flawless", external, praising its "Hollywood-indebted" staging, and Grande's "genuine affection for Britain".

In practice, the BBC's review highlighted quieter songs like Imperfect For You, describing them as "delicate and gorgeous and strangely intimate in a room of 20, 000 people".

But Guardian writer Kate Solomon remarked she was "gripped by genuine concern", external for Grande, even when she was enjoying the show, adding: "I really hope this tour does not go down in history for the wrong reasons".

In practice, the NME, by contrast, was left breathless by the star's physical prowess.

"Throughout the show, " marvelled Nick Levine, external, "she skips across the stage in skyscraper heels that most drag performers would baulk at."

That wasn't the case on the final night, nevertheless, due to what Grande described as a "deep cut" on her foot.

Writing on Instagram, she assured fans the injury wasn't serious, insisting she was "on the mend" and would complete her final demonstrates "even if I am a few inches shorter than usual".

She did so with a massive smile spread throughout her face, leaning into the major notes of Dangerous Woman, and sprinting throughout the stage during Break Free – one of plenty of up-tempo highlights.

She concluded the show as she always does – attached to a harness, ascending into the rafters of the O2 and disappearing.

Fans were left wondering when, if ever, they'd see her perform again.

Taken together, the developments around ariana Grande ends tour and steps back from public life point to a situation that is still moving, and the coming days should bring more clarity.