Ariana Grande is sharing her gratitude as she marks the end of the North American leg of her Eternal Sunshine Tour.
The “Petal” singer, 33, performed her final U.S. tour date at the United Center in Chicago on Thursday, August 6, and reflected on her time on the road in a heartfelt Instagram post.
“I love you … i cannot believe that this concludes the north american leg of the eternal sunshine tour,” Grande wrote alongside a carousel of photos and videos from 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 … i will cherish every moment of this time with you all & these memories forever. thank you, Chicago.”
She added, “London, i cannot wait to see you soon. i love you all more than ever.”
Grande will conclude her Eternal Sunshine Tour on September 1 after 10 nights at the O2 arena in London. Her first show there takes place on August 15.
The Wicked star’s rep announced on Sunday, August 2, that she will take a break from the spotlight after the conclusion of the tour.
“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,” her spokesperson told People.
Grande herself addressed the news during her Monday, August 3, show in Chicago.
“Sometimes when a story comes out that’s not directly from me, things can get a little blown out of proportion, so I just wanted to speak to my fans directly tonight, because I love you so much,” she said.
“The announcement that was made yesterday was not a reactive or impulsive thing,” the Grammy winner explained. “It is something that I had decided, a plan I had quietly made a long time ago, and it’s a decision that was made from a thoughtful and empowered place.”
Grande dispelled fans’ concerns that “‘negativity’ was ruining things for me,” saying, “I want you to know that many things can be true at the same time. 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 career.”
She continued, “No matter what noises exist out there, nothing will be able to distort my reality or be more real to me or not as real to me than this love that we share and how it feels to make art with people that I love and respect. Absolutely nothing will change that.”
Grande said that her latest tour has been “the most healing, beautiful, corrective, magnificent, special experience of my life.”
