Ariana Grande’s Eternal Sunshine Tour officially launched in Oakland over the weekend, and fans quickly noticed a subtle but meaningful change to the lyrics of “thank u, next,” the title track from her chart-topping 2019 album.
The song, which reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, centers on growth, healing, and finding gratitude after past relationships. In the original version, Grande reflects on how personal challenges helped shape her future.
During the bridge, the studio recording features the lyrics: “One day I’ll walk down the aisle / Holdin’ hands with my mama. I’ll be thankin’ my dad / ‘Cause she grew from the drama.”
The updated performance sparked attention among concertgoers, highlighting a fresh take on one of the song’s most memorable moments.
At the opening night of the tour, Grande put a new spin on the lyric, changing the final line to something far more inclusive: “I’ll be thankin’ my dad / ‘Cause we all grew from the drama.”
The adjustment may reflect comments she made during an interview with Marc Maron last year, when she revealed that her divorced parents had become “best friends” after she encouraged them to rebuild their relationship.
Grande, whose upcoming album petal is set for release in July, also appeared to poke fun at her own personal experiences during the performance. Fans noticed another lyric change that seemed to reference her 2024 divorce from Dalton Gomez, adding a playful and self-aware touch to the show.
The Eternal Sunshine Tour rolls on this week with two additional performances in Oakland on June 9 and June 10 before Ariana Grande heads to Los Angeles for consecutive shows at Crypto Arena.
The tour will also make extended multi-night stops in Inglewood, Austin, Sunrise, Atlanta, Brooklyn, Boston, Montreal, Chicago, and London. The London leg is set to be one of the biggest stretches of the tour, with Grande scheduled to perform 10 consecutive shows at the O2 Arena.
The tour is currently set to wrap up on Sept. 1, bringing the highly anticipated run of performances to a close.
