Pop singer Ariana Grande paid tribute to the late Dolly Parton during her Eternal Sunshine concert at London's O2 Arena on Thursday night. The tribute came just five days before Grande is scheduled to take an indefinite break from showbusiness.
Following the news of Parton's death on Tuesday at the age of 80, Grande began her London show by playing a video of the country singer performing her 1974 hit "I Will Always Love You." The arena was filled with purple lights as the audience sang along to the tribute.
Grande's appearance at the O2 Arena is part of her ongoing Eternal Sunshine tour. She announced earlier in August that she would be stepping back from public-facing work to "set boundaries" and take a break. Her spokesman stated that after completing the tour, she intends to take a "much-deserved break from public-facing work and appearances, which has led to endless, ongoing public scrutiny."
This hiatus follows a demanding period for the artist, which included filming both parts of the movie "Wicked," promoting the films, shooting "Focker-in-Law," releasing two albums-"Eternal Sunshine" and "Petal"-and commencing the current tour. Grande has also withdrawn from an upcoming West End role in "Sunday In The Park with George."
Fellow artist Harry Styles also honored Parton during his Madison Square Garden residency on Wednesday. He expressed his gratitude to musicians who have inspired him, specifically thanking Parton before his band played "I Will Always Love You" alongside the original track, encouraging the audience to sing along.
