Ariana Grande closes Chicago shows with emotional message as she prepares to step back

The singer will continue her tour in London before taking a planned break from public facing work

Ariana Grande has completed the North American leg of her Eternal Sunshine Tour, closing the run with her third performance at Chicago's United Center on August 6. The singer marked the occasion with an emotional message to fans, describing herself as overwhelmed by the response to the tour while looking ahead to its remaining London dates.

Grande shared a collection of photographs and behind the scenes moments from the tour on Instagram after the Chicago finale. Her post included concert images, rehearsal photographs and moments from backstage as she reflected on the months spent performing for audiences across the United States and Canada.

"I love you … I cannot believe that this concludes the North American leg of the Eternal Sunshine Tour. I am overwhelmed with love and the deepest gratitude," Grande wrote in her caption.

She also thanked fans for what she described as an especially meaningful period, writing that she would cherish the memories created during the tour. Grande specifically acknowledged Chicago before turning her attention to the next stage of the tour in London.

The Chicago concerts marked the end of the North American portion of the tour, but Grande's concert schedule is not yet finished. She is due to begin the London run at The O2 on August 15, with performances scheduled through September 1. The tour is expected to conclude in London after 41 performances across its full schedule.

The conclusion of the US and Canadian dates comes days after Grande confirmed plans to step back from public facing work following the completion of the tour. Her representative told that Grande would be "taking a step back from visibility" after the London shows, citing the "endless, ongoing public scrutiny" surrounding her public appearances. The representative also said Grande wanted to finish the tour on a positive note and described the experience as beautiful for the singer.

The announcement followed growing public discussion about Grande's appearance, including speculation about her weight. Those discussions have spread across social media and entertainment coverage, although speculation from fans and online users should not be treated as confirmation of any medical condition. Grande herself has previously spoken about the impact of public commentary and scrutiny surrounding her appearance.

Her decision to step back also resulted in a major professional change. Grande withdrew from the planned West End revival of Stephen Sondheim's Sunday in the Park with George, which had been scheduled for the Barbican in London in 2027. Her representative confirmed that she would no longer star in the production alongside her former Wicked co star Jonathan Bailey. The production team supported Grande's decision and said a new cast would be announced.

Grande has also addressed the break directly while performing in Chicago. Rather than presenting the decision as a sudden response to a single event, she indicated that stepping away had been something she had considered for some time. Her comments came as discussion surrounding her appearance continued to dominate online conversation.

The timing means Grande will have a short gap between the North American finale and the London opening. Her return to the stage in August will therefore represent the final stretch of the Eternal Sunshine Tour before she takes the planned break from public facing appearances.

Despite the surrounding scrutiny, Grande's message after the Chicago finale focused primarily on gratitude towards her audience and the experience of returning to the stage. The tour marked her first major concert run in several years and attracted significant attention from fans following its June launch in Oakland.

For now, Grande remains committed to completing the London dates. Her final scheduled performance is September 1.