Photography by Julian Dakdouk & Katia Temkin

It’s good to see her, isn’t it? On 15 August, Ariana Grande made her eagerly awaited return to the UK for the first show of her 10-night residency at London’s O2 Arena. Marking seven years since she last took to the stage, The Eternal Sunshine Tour feels like the perfect close to this whirlwind chapter in the pop superstar’s career.

For me, this concert in particular felt a little more personal. Growing up as a closeted teenager in Manchester in the early 2010s, Ariana Grande always held a special place in my heart. Her music not only soundtracked some of my most formative years, but also became inextricably linked with my hometown following the devastating terrorist attack that took place at her Manchester Arena concert on 22 May 2017. So, seeing the opening night of Grande’s last tour before she takes “a step back” from public life feels incredibly special.

And I was far from the only person feeling this way.

20,000 Arianators descended on the O2, dressed in recreations of their favourite looks from across Ariana’s culture-defining eras. From the bunny ears and thigh-high boots of Dangerous Woman to the flowing white gowns and sheer red gloves of Eternal Sunshine, fans were ready to embark on the ultimate pop pilgrimage.

Grande’s return immediately proved worth the wait. As we entered the arena, a countdown clock and five perfectly poised silhouettes welcomed us for a night we wouldn’t soon forget. The electric opening performance of ‘yes, and?’ set the tone for what would become an awe-inspiring two hours.

The electric opening performance of ‘yes, and?’ set the tone for what would become an awe-inspiring two hours.

Blending the worlds of music, theatre and film, the show is unmistakably Ariana. Accompanying interludes continue the story of Peaches from Brighter Days Ahead, extravagant sets feature an ever-evolving house, and a number of emotional callbacks to The Wizard of Oz weave Grande’s creative universe together. Across five acts and 26 songs, we’re taken through 13 years of pop history.

As the title suggests, the show leans heavily on tracks from the artist’s seventh studio album, Eternal Sunshine, with its themes of memory, heartbreak and moving forward providing the perfect emotional through-line.

One of our favourite (and one of the gayest) moments of the night came during ‘the boy is mine’, where Grande performed the song alongside lesbian dancer, Kassidy Bright.

A long-time ally to the LGBTQIA+ community, this moment of representation was made sweeter with the knowledge that Grande’s Brighter Days Ahead Foundation will support a number of queer UK-based charities during the final leg of her tour – Micro Rainbow, The Proud Trust, Consortium and Trans+ Solidarity Alliance – alongside Choose Love and Save The Children.

Act II brings a striking change of pace. The room falls uncharacteristically silent for the famed live ‘eternal sunshine’ loop, before the artist launches into ‘7 rings’ and ‘thank u, next’, sending the arena into meltdown as Ariana changes the lyrics to “wrote some songs about Ricky, we always find our way back,” accompanied by a new tattoo matching one worn by Alvarez that reads “I do love you.”