Ariana Grande opened the London leg of her Eternal Sunshine world tour at the O2 arena on Saturday before taking a break from public work.
The 33-year-old pop star is performing ten concerts at the venue, where more than 200,000 fans are expected to watch her perform before her residency ends on September 1.
Grande's representatives announced earlier this month that she will step back from public-facing engagements following intense scrutiny over her health and perceived weight loss.
Opening night at the O2 arena
Taking the stage in seven-inch Louboutin platform boots, Grande opened her Saturday set with her No. 1 single Yes, And?, an empowering anthem released two years ago following a three-year music hiatus.
The song features lyrics directly addressing public intrusion into her life: "Don't comment on my body, do not reply. Your business is yours and mine is mine."
Concerns surrounding the singer escalated following the July 31 release of the music video for her single Petal, which showed her looking noticeably frailer with visible collarbones and sternum.
The imagery prompted widespread online reaction and comparisons to stars of yesteryear Karen Carpenter and Lena Zavaroni, who both suffered from acute anorexia.
Television star, activist and former anorexic Jameela Jamil commented on X that "this poor woman is possibly dying right in front of us."
Hiatus announcement and career background
Following public reaction to the Petal video, which was filmed in early July, Grande's representatives announced over the first weekend in August that she would step back from public-facing work after her London concerts.
Addressing fans on stage the following Monday at an Eternal Sunshine show in Chicago, Grande stated that her decision to retreat came from a "thoughtful, empowered place" and was planned "a long time ago."
However, less than two weeks before the London run, Grande withdrew from a scheduled revival of the Stephen Sondheim musical Sunday In The Park With George, which was set to open in London next summer.
The star previously addressed scrutiny over her physical appearance in 2023 through a TikTok video, telling online commentators that "there are many different ways to look healthy and beautiful."
Grande first rose to fame as a child actor on the Nickelodeon television network before launching a global pop career. Last year, she earned an Academy Award nomination for her performance as Glinda the Good Witch in the film Wicked.
In addition to her entertainment work, Grande operates her own makeup line, holds a global ambassadorship with Swarovski, and sells a perfume line featuring Sweet Like Candy, priced at just over £42 at Superdrug in a pink bottle with a pom-pom.
Concert performance and stamina
Concertgoers, known as Arianators, the Ariana Army, or the Tiny Elephants, attended the O2 arena wearing swishy ponytails, black dresses, rabbit ears, and platform boots in homage to the star.
A venue merchandise operation offered fans £100 sweatshirts, £40 T-shirts, £40 cat hats, and £20 pairs of Grande's trademark red mesh gloves.
Daily Mail columnist Jan Moir, attending from upper balcony seating, reported that the five-foot-tall singer performed a high-energy set lasting about 105 minutes, featuring 26 songs and fast costume changes.
Grande demonstrated a four-octave vocal range while performing dance tracks such as Rain On Me and Into You, alongside ballads including Positions and Hampstead.
Moir noted that while Grande's set length was shorter than Taylor Swift's 3.5-hour, 46-song Eras tour shows, it exceeded Adele's 2024 Germany performances, which ran for 2.5 hours with 22 songs, zero dancing, and on-stage complaints about live shows.
During the opening show, an audience member was stretchered out of the arena at 8:40 pm, while Grande continued her set uninterrupted.
The singer repeatedly expressed her affection for the crowd, telling attendees she intended to "savour every moment" of her final performances for a while.
The concert ended with Grande hoisted into the arena ceiling wearing a floating white dress.
Moir observed that performing such a demanding routine requires significant physical strength, peak lung capacity, and mental discipline, though public discussion regarding her appearance remains active.
