Ariana Grande returns to Oakland, with tears and spectacle

Ariana Grande kicked off her Eternal Sunshine Tour in Oakland, blending a lavish, multi-act stage show with emotional moments and a setlist that spans much of her 13-year recording career. Fans also rallied online after she announced her eighth studio album, “

When Ariana Grande stepped into the Oakland Arena spotlight. it wasn’t just the staging that announced her return—it was the feeling behind it. Back in the place she clearly considers “home. ” the pop star wiped away tears as she told the crowd. “I missed you. ” and the moment landed with the force of a promise kept.

The show itself matched that emotional undertone with a lavish production built around constant transformation. Grande moved through numerous outfit changes—lace, sparkles, glamorous boots—and her trademark high ponytail showed up throughout. The setlist reached across nearly her entire 13-year recording career, a sweep that would have been enough on spectacle alone. But her visible joy at being back onstage made the difference.

Grande, who turns 33 on June 26, has been away from the road for nearly seven years since her Sweetener World Tour. In that stretch, she pivoted toward acting ambitions. Her career milestones outside music include Oscar and Golden Globe nominations for her portrayal of Glinda in the two “Wicked” films. plus a Grammy she added to a previously earned pair for her “Defying Gravity” duet with Cynthia Erivo. Still. the Oakland start of her new live run made one thing clear: this summer is a dedicated return to music.

Fans got a major reason to get excited beyond the show itself. Grande announced her eighth studio album, “Petal,” and fans reacted intensely online. The album is set for release on July 31. Her summer outing is the 41-date Eternal Sunshine Tour. which kicked off June 6 with the first of three shows in northern California.

As she built the set, Grande also made choices that disappointed some “Wicked” followers: despite her deep ties to the franchise, no soundtrack songs from “Wicked” made the cut.

The tour’s momentum has been fueled not just by the stagecraft, but by demand. The live run played multiple nights in cities including Los Angeles. Chicago. Atlanta. and Fort Lauderdale. Florida—near Grande’s hometown of Boca Raton—before a planned 10-show wrap in London. The shows sold out instantly when they were announced last fall.

From the audience, the energy showed up in detail: many fans wore sheer red gloves, cat ears, and varying levels of undress. They responded almost immediately—roaring as Grande launched into the 23-song set.

Grande’s performance opened with “Yes. And?. ” “Positions. ” and “Dandelion. ” though the sound mix muddled her vocals during that opening trio. She pushed through without missing a beat, concentrating on dance moves with a vibrant, diverse troupe. As the show unfolded. she strutted and posed down a catwalk. then ascended stairs of a grand set piece that began as a burned-out shell of a house before symbolically morphing into a moss-covered. welcoming abode. For an early-career nod, she also popped on a cat woman mask.

The production moved in five acts. guided by allegorical videos: Grande tumbling down a shaft. walking through eerie hallways filled with water. meeting a young girl on a swing set—posed as a childhood echo—and later watching a cute nod scene from “The Wizard of Oz.” The show also balanced frisky romps with Grande’s dancers—“Thank U. Next” and “Rain On Me. ” with Lady Gaga heard on record—with solo moments built for her voice to lead.

For all the glitz. Grande appeared most relaxed when she did what fans came to see most: clutching the microphone. belting with a smile. and fluttering her doe eyes. The bright sunshine behind the bed she sat on during “Warm” became a fitting backdrop for the way her voice moved over the gliding pop track. During the live debut of “Hampstead. ” she perched on a stool with her leg folded under her. casually sharing vocal gifts as if the spotlight belonged to her. not the other way around.

Even the backstage-to-stage details landed as part of the experience. Fans roared at the sight of stylist Law Roach on an underneath-the-stage cam as Grande slipped into a diamond-encrusted black dress and matching boots for “Into You. ” underscoring how their presence on the tour is bigger than just fashion—it’s an extension of the fandom.

Grande also wove her personal support network into the evening. Before the show, her mother Joan made the rounds with fans—first popping into a merch area to take photos and later walking the arena floor with a massive bodyguard in tow to mingle with devotees.

Between new material and familiar favorites, the evening moved cleanly through songs including “Hate That I Made You Love Me,” with its steady cadence and pulsing synths, and “We Can’t Be Friends (Wait For Your Love),” backed by pink clouds and falling snow.

Her upcoming acting schedule runs in parallel to the tour. In November, Grande will appear on screen in “Focker-In-Law,” the next installment of the “Fockers” series, though she filmed it last year.

The show’s emotional payoff came as much in the delivery as in the details: Grande looks delicate. but her voice is described as unbreakable. She framed the night like a victory lap for a career that has expanded well beyond pop—yet. more importantly. like a homecoming built for the stage she missed.

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