Good things must come to an end, but The Eternal Sunshine Tour will live on in Ariana Grande's heart.
The Grammy-winning pop star, who recently made headlines after revealing she will be stepping back from the public eye, reflected on the end of the tour's North American leg in an emotional Instagram post Thursday, Aug. 6. Grande performed a trio of shows at Chicago's United Center this week after playing arenas in Los Angeles, Atlanta, New York City and other major cities since June.
"I love you. I cannot believe that this concludes the North American leg of The Eternal Sunshine Tour," Grande, 33, wrote alongside several photos and videos of the tour. "I am overwhelmed with love and the deepest gratitude. Thank you endlessly for the most special,
beautiful, joyful and deeply fulfilling few months."
Grande's remarks come after the singer announced last week that she will be retreating from the spotlight amid a barrage of scrutiny, including mounting speculation about her physical health.
"Ariana will be taking a step back from visibility after she completes The Eternal Sunshine Tour," a representative for Grande told USA TODAY in an Aug. 2 statement. "She looks forward to finishing the tour and ending it on a high note, both healthily and happily, and then taking a much-deserved break from public-facing work and appearances, which has led to endless, ongoing public scrutiny."
The "Hate That I Made You Love Me" singer addressed her decision to step back during her first concert in Chicago on Monday, Aug. 3, telling fans that her upcoming hiatus is "not a reactive or impulsive thing."
"It is something that I have decided, it's a plan that I have quietly made, a long time ago, and it's a decision that was made from a thoughtful and empowered place," Grande said. The singer also stressed that "negativity" from her recent public scrutiny was not "ruining things for me."
"Multiple things can be true at the same time," Grande continued. "Boundaries can need to be set, human beings can need a break sometimes, and also, this can be, and will continue to be, the greatest experience of my professional and creative life. No matter what noises exist out there, nothing will ever be able to distort my reality or be more real to me, or louder to me, than this love that we share."
Grande echoed the sentiment in her Instagram post Thursday as she shared her excitement for the remainder of the tour.
"I will cherish every moment of this time with you all [and] these memories forever," she concluded. "Thank you, Chicago. London, I cannot wait to see you soon. I love you all more than ever."
The singer kicked off The Eternal Sunshine Tour, her first outing in seven years, on June 6 at Oakland Arena in California. USA TODAY music critic Melissa Ruggieri praised Grande's versatile showmanship, as well as her "unbreakable" vocals.
"Grande is an effortless enchantress, whether singing the new track 'Hate That I Made You Love Me,' its steady cadence coupled with pulsing synths, or reaching back to 'We Can't Be Friends (Wait for Your Love)' against a backdrop of pink clouds and falling snow," Ruggieri wrote. "This tour is a well-earned victory lap for sure. But more importantly, it's a welcome homecoming."
Ariana Grande Eternal Sunshine Tour dates
Following her North American tour, Grande will take The Eternal Sunshine Tour to The O2 Arena in London for a 10-show residency, beginning Aug. 15. The tour will officially wrap on Sept. 1.
The remaining concert dates are as follows:
- Aug. 15: The O2 in London
- Aug. 16: The O2 in London
- Aug. 19: The O2 in London
- Aug. 20: The O2 in London
- Aug. 23: The O2 in London
- Aug. 24: The O2 in London
- Aug. 27: The O2 in London
- Aug. 28: The O2 in London
- Aug. 31: The O2 in London
- Sept. 1: The O2 in London
Contributing: KiMi Robinson, Brendan Morrow, Trisha Easto and Jessica Moore, USA TODAY
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Ariana Grande wraps Eternal Sunshine Tour in US with emotional statement
