Ariana Grande's Sweetener tour is underway. Here, her ponytail (just go with it) diaries about the experience.
If you're wondering where I've been recently, look no further than this Instagram. Ariana Grande and I came to a mutual decision to take a small break so she could let her hair down for a while, but I was back in true form on Wednesday night, and good thing I was. The Pittsburgh tour stop was always going to be a difficult one, since it's the hometown of the late Mac Miller. Mac and Ariana split after almost two years of dating in May 2018, but his death that September was a huge influence on Ariana's Thank U, Next album. That's why certain songs have always been difficult to perform, and last night was the most challenging of all.
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Ariana kicked off the tour with "Raindrops (An Angel Cried)," an a cappella song with the lyrics "When raindrops fell down from the sky / The day you left me, an angel cried / Oh, she cried / An angel cried, she cried." However, Grande barely made it past the first few words before choking up, which many fans captured on video.
if @arianagrande crying during & not being able to finish raindrops at her #SWTPittsburgh show doesn’t break your heart i don’t know what will. we all miss you @macmiller ??? pic.twitter.com/fVr8piNsxI
— ♔Alexa Rae (@lexadee22) June 13, 2019
The same thing happened during Mac's line of "Thank U, Next," but her fans were there to help her along with the lyrics she couldn't quite make it through.
Ariana got all choked up singing Thank U, Next in Mac’s hometown, but with help from the crowd she got through it and brought the show to an end. One of the craziest and most amazing nights of my life, I’ll never forget it, thank you @ArianaGrande, you’ll never stop inspiring us! pic.twitter.com/om0wqEV37Z
— Trey Reininger (@ReiningerTrey) June 13, 2019
Ariana has been very transparent about how difficult touring has been combined with the process of grieving and caring for her own mental health. She's said that singing the vulnerable songs on stage is "like reliving it all over again and it is hell."
But, don't think for a minute this means she wants to stop.
"Having a routine is good for ptsd. been readin bout it i would be sad without the shows too," she tweeted. "imma be ok. might change the set list a lil." At her tour stop in Edmonton, she struck off "One Last Time," which has become an anthem for fans in memory of the Manchester bombing.
While Ariana may not be able to make it through the songs on stage, always remember the words she wants Mac to hear below.