Ariana Grande surprised fans at her O2 residency by bringing out her Wicked co-star Cynthia Erivo during the second night of her run on Sunday. The duo, who both received Oscar nominations for their performances in the 2024 film, performed the songs "For Good" and "Happy Days" together.
Grande, who is known for hits like "Thank U, Next" and "7 Rings," shared a clip of the two on stage together on her Instagram Stories, accompanied by a heart emoji. The performance came after Grande thanked fans for their "overwhelming" support as she began her residency on Saturday, following the announcement that she would step back from public life.
10-Night Residency at the O2
This weekend's performances marked the first of 10 nights at the north Greenwich venue. The setlist drew heavily from Grande's 2024 album Eternal Sunshine, with tracks from her latest album Petal, as well as her best-known hits such as "Into You," "Thank U, Next," and "7 Rings," along with a cover of Lady Gaga's "Rain On Me."
Grande's elaborate staging saw her perform in a rundown house, with the lighting rig transformed into a police helicopter. Throughout the show, she waved and blew kisses to fans, adding to the spectacle.
Cinematic Concert Experience
Videos breaking up each act of the performance gave the concert a cinematic feel, which was enhanced by Erivo's surprise appearance on Sunday. The show comes after Grande announced last month that she would take a step back from the spotlight once she completes the residency, which will bring an end to her Eternal Sunshine tour.
Speaking on stage at an earlier gig on the tour, Grande said her decision to take a break from public life came from "a thoughtful and empowered place" and was "not a reactive or impulsive thing."
Upcoming Projects and Personal News
Grande has also dropped out of the upcoming London revival of the Stephen Sondheim musical Sunday In The Park With George, in which she was due to appear opposite Wicked co-star Jonathan Bailey. Her role is due to be recast.
This follows the release of Grande's music video for "Petal," the title single from her newly released eighth studio album, which sparked speculation about her health. The singer also appeared to confirm her relationship with dancer and photographer Ricky Alvarez on Instagram earlier this week.
Petal became Grande's sixth consecutive number one album last week, following Dangerous Woman (2016), Sweetener (2018), Thank U, Next (2019), Positions (2020), and Eternal Sunshine.
