Ariana Grande's Sweetener tour kicked off yesterday. Here, her ponytail (just go with it) diaries about the experience.
The fact that you're reading this means you weren't at Ariana Grande's first Sweetener tour stop in Albany, so we're already starting off on the wrong foot — and I'm notoriously unforgiving. High, taught, and swishy as hell, I'm not your mother's ponytail. I've been there since the "Bang Bang" days, baby, and I've seen shit. Ariana may "love u sm" but I'll give it to you straight: If you're missing Ariana Grande's Sweetener tour you're lit-er-ally dead to me, so study up ahead and make good friends with Stubhub dot com so you can catch this pop diva (and me) in action.
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Ariana Grande heard you liked space, so she put a space in your space so you can space while you space. It's the moon, is what I'm saying. There's a moon on stage.
But before Ariana even stepped one thigh-high boot into that galaxy, she was playing music from her late ex Mac Miller to warm up the crowd. The sweet tribute was a very Ari thing to do, especially since Miller's unexpected death informed a lot of Thank U, Next. (That and her break-up with Pete Davidson, but I don't like to talk about him.)
Instead, let's talk about these visuals. Get you an orb that's the moon and the galaxy, and pretty much whatever else Ariana needed to bring Sweetener to life. She kicked off the tour with "Raindrops (An Angel Cried)" from offstage, before popping up to sing "God Is A Woman" to screams that had me stand on end.
(HD) ARIANA GRANDE (INTRO) Raindrops / God Is A Woman | Live #SweetenerWorldTour
— Sweetener/Thank u, next Tour (@thankunext_tour) March 19, 2019
Full video: https://t.co/uUbeILjqVR pic.twitter.com/LJ9I8PtmZb
This is the voice of our years, god is definitely a woman and this woman is called Ariana Grande #SweetenerWorldTour pic.twitter.com/icZDp6d76B
— gres ◟̽◞̽ (@flickerofniaIl) March 19, 2019
Songs were punctuated by sketches and bits, including a video of young Ariana reenacting a scene from Bruce Almighty.
Ariana b-l-e-s-s-e-d the crowd not just with songs from Sweetener, but also some oldies like "One Last Time" and "Into You." However, you know Ariana couldn't do this tour without mostly giving fans everything they love from the Thank U, Next era we're currently in, which is perhaps why "NASA" was one of the most mind-blowing performances of the night.
NASA VISUAL GIVES ME CHILLS ITS STUNNING AF #sweetenerworldtourTODAY pic.twitter.com/4wc4NNT1bJ
— ??????☄ (@penusvenis) March 19, 2019
I know better than anyone that Ariana has been through some shit, which is why there were moments, like during "Goodnight N Go," when things got a little teary. My girl had to pause a few times to let the audience take over.
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this is my favorite video on the face of this earth i told y’all goodnight n go live is IT pic.twitter.com/ILYApgsRgy
— hannah 7 (@divineverytime) March 19, 2019
Some other highlights I would be REMISS not to mention — "7 Rings":
"Successful":
And "Thank U, Next," for which at first the MICROPHONE WAS NOT WORKING:
Ariana’s mic not working during Thank u next? We firing the whole department sis #SweetenerWorldTour pic.twitter.com/GNWnzWuR9m
— maya (@mayabandakji) March 19, 2019
Until I spoke to a manager, and had that problem fixed ASAP:
HD VIDEO: Ariana performing ‘Thank U, Next’ tonight in Albany! #SweetenerWorldTour pic.twitter.com/6Z3PKRE4Xu
— Grande Tour News (@GrandeTourNews) March 19, 2019
Next up? Boston, where I'll be slipping myself through the back of a Red Sox hat and not just spilling tea from Ariana's Massachusetts performance, but practically dumping it into the harbour (I may be a ponytail, but I know my history).
See you March 20, right?
Overheard on the crowd microphones: "Did you hear about Shane Dawson and his cat?...Those tweets...yeah, Cheeto."