Ariana Grande Launches ‘Eternal Sunshine’ Tour With Career-Spanning Setlist in Oakland
Ariana Grande officially returned to the road Saturday night, ending a six-and-a-half-year absence from touring with the opening show of her highly anticipated Eternal Sunshine Tour at Oakland Arena. The performance marked the pop superstar’s first full concert tour since concluding the Sweetener World Tour in December 2019 and offered fans their first opportunity to hear material from multiple albums released during her time away from the stage.
The launch of the tour had been one of the most anticipated events in pop music this year. Since her last headlining trek, Grande has released two studio albums, Positions in 2021 and Eternal Sunshine in 2024, while also expanding her acting career and preparing for the release of the upcoming album Petal, due July 31. With such a large catalog of unreleased live material to choose from, questions surrounding the setlist became a major topic among fans in the weeks leading up to opening night.
As expected, Eternal Sunshine serves as the foundation of the show. The album and its 2025 deluxe edition account for nearly half of the 23-song setlist, reflecting both the project’s critical success and its importance in Grande’s current artistic era. The singer devoted 11 songs to the album, making it the clear centerpiece of the nearly two-hour production.
While Eternal Sunshine dominates the evening, Grande also revisits several chapters of her career. Positions receives the second-largest representation in the setlist with three songs, while fan-favorite albums Thank U, Next, Dangerous Woman, and My Everything each contribute two tracks. Her debut album, Yours Truly, is represented by one selection, while the forthcoming Petal album makes an early appearance through its lead single, Hate That I Made You Love Me.
Notably absent from the show is any material from Sweetener, marking the first major tour of Grande’s career in which the Grammy-winning album has been completely omitted. Given that the Sweetener World Tour heavily featured songs from that era, the omission appears to reflect Grande’s desire to focus on more recent material while still acknowledging key moments from her catalog.
Visually, the production continues themes introduced during the Eternal Sunshine album cycle. Interstitial video segments shown during costume changes draw inspiration from the film Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, which inspired the album’s title. Throughout the concert, viewers follow a cinematic narrative in which Grande's memories are gradually erased. The story eventually introduces a young girl who appears to represent a childhood version of the singer, creating an emotional thread that ties together themes of nostalgia, healing, and self-reflection present throughout the album.
The stage production itself evolves as the concert progresses. Early portions of the show emphasize choreography and ensemble performances alongside Grande’s dancers, recalling elements of the Sweetener Tour. As the night unfolds, however, the focus increasingly shifts toward Grande alone, particularly during performances on an extended runway leading to a secondary stage positioned deep within the arena floor.
One of the evening’s most dramatic moments arrives during the closing section of the show. As Grande performs Supernatural, she is elevated into a UFO-inspired lighting structure suspended above the B-stage. The sequence serves as the visual climax of the production, combining elaborate lighting effects with a cinematic finale. Following the performance, production credits roll across circular screens surrounding the structure while the Eternal Sunshine track Ordinary Things plays over the arena sound system as fans exit the venue.
Despite its ambitious production, the Eternal Sunshine Tour is expected to be relatively brief by arena-pop standards. Grande has repeatedly indicated that she intends to balance music with a growing acting career, making the current run especially significant for fans, but it is uncertain when another major tour might occur.
Following three nights in Oakland, the tour moves to Southern California for performances at both Crypto.com Arena and the Kia Forum before continuing across North America. Additional stops include Austin, Atlanta, Brooklyn, Boston, Montreal, Chicago, and Sunrise, Florida. After completing its North American leg in early August, the production heads overseas for a 10-night residency at London’s The O2 Arena, which currently serves as the tour’s final scheduled engagement.
Oakland setlist below:
Yes, And?
Positions
Dandelion
The Boy Is Mine
Eternal Sunshine
Just Like Magic
Thank U, Next
7 Rings
Imperfect for You
Warm
Safety Net
One Last Time
Rain on Me
Break Free
Twilight Zone
Past Life
Dangerous Woman
Honeymoon Avenue
Hampstead
Into You
Hate That I Made You Love Me
We Can’t Be Friends (Wait for Your Love)
Supernatural
