Ariana Grande Gets Emotional on ‘Sweetener’ Tour Opening Night: Mac Miller Tribute, Setlist and More

Credit: Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Ariana Grande

Ariana Grande Gets Emotional on ‘Sweetener’ Tour Opening Night: Mac Miller Tribute, Setlist and More

Ariana Grande kicked off her highly anticipated Sweetener world tour at the Times Union Center in Albany, New York, on Monday, March 18. The pop star, 25, performed nearly 30 tracks, mixing many of her biggest hits with a selection of fan favorites. She opened the show with “Raindrops (An Angel Cried),” the a cappella intro from her 2018 album, Sweetener, before transitioning into “God Is a Woman.” Throughout the concert, which was the first of an 80-date global trek that will extend into mid-October, Grande showcased her signature vocals with some sexy and fun choreography. According to videos that fans shared on social media, the singer cried during three songs: “Everytime,” “Goodnight N Go” and the show’s closer, “Thank U, Next.” “I really dunno what to say yet,” Grande wrote on Instagram after the show. “For now, thank you will suffice. a dream come true typeeaa night. i love you. so much. thank you.” The pop duo Social House and former Fifth Harmony member Normani, who recently launched her solo career after the girl group announced an indefinite hiatus, served as the evening’s opening acts. Normani’s set included covers of three Rihanna songs, including “Diamonds” and “We Found Love,” as well as her own singles “Waves” and “Love Lives,” and Fifth Harmony hits “Worth It” and “Work From Home.” The Sweetener world tour is Grande’s first since 2017’s Dangerous Woman tour, which was rocked midway through by a terrorist bombing at England’s Manchester Arena that killed 22 concertgoers. It also marks the first time that the Grammy winner has hit the road since the death of her ex-boyfriend Mac Miller and her split from fiancé Pete Davidson. Scroll down to get all of the details on the tour’s opening night!

Credit: Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Ariana Grande

Ariana Grande Gets Emotional on ‘Sweetener’ Tour Opening Night: Mac Miller Tribute, Setlist and More

Ariana Grande kicked off her highly anticipated Sweetener world tour at the Times Union Center in Albany, New York, on Monday, March 18. The pop star, 25, performed nearly 30 tracks, mixing many of her biggest hits with a selection of fan favorites. She opened the show with “Raindrops (An Angel Cried),” the a cappella intro from her 2018 album, Sweetener, before transitioning into “God Is a Woman.” Throughout the concert, which was the first of an 80-date global trek that will extend into mid-October, Grande showcased her signature vocals with some sexy and fun choreography. According to videos that fans shared on social media, the singer cried during three songs: “Everytime,” “Goodnight N Go” and the show’s closer, “Thank U, Next.” “I really dunno what to say yet,” Grande wrote on Instagram after the show. “For now, thank you will suffice. a dream come true typeeaa night. i love you. so much. thank you.” The pop duo Social House and former Fifth Harmony member Normani, who recently launched her solo career after the girl group announced an indefinite hiatus, served as the evening’s opening acts. Normani’s set included covers of three Rihanna songs, including “Diamonds” and “We Found Love,” as well as her own singles “Waves” and “Love Lives,” and Fifth Harmony hits “Worth It” and “Work From Home.” The Sweetener world tour is Grande’s first since 2017’s Dangerous Woman tour, which was rocked midway through by a terrorist bombing at England’s Manchester Arena that killed 22 concertgoers. It also marks the first time that the Grammy winner has hit the road since the death of her ex-boyfriend Mac Miller and her split from fiancé Pete Davidson. Scroll down to get all of the details on the tour’s opening night!

Credit: Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Ariana Grande

The Mac Miller Tribute

The Victorious alum subtlety paid tribute to the late rapper, who suffered a fatal drug overdose at the age of 26 in September 2018, in the final minutes before she took the stage. His 2016 single “Dang!” was the last song to play over the arena’s speakers as part of the pre-show soundtrack, which artists typically hand-select. At the end of the song, the lights went out and Grande began her performance.

Credit: Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Ariana Grande

The Setlist

Grande wowed the audience with 29 songs from her catalog: “Raindrops (An Angel Cried),” “God Is a Woman,” “Bad Idea,” “Break Up With Your Girlfriend, I’m Bored,” “R.E.M,” “Be Alright,” “Sweetener,” “Successful,” “Side to Side,” “Bloodline,” “7 Rings,” “Love Me Harder,” “Breathin,” “Needy,” “Fake Smile,” “Make Up,” “Right There,” “You’ll Never Know,” “Break Your Heart Right Back,” “NASA,” “Goodnight N Go,” “Everytime," “One Last Time,” “The Light Is Coming,” “Into You,” “Dangerous Woman,” “Break Free,” “No Tears Left to Cry” and “Thank U, Next.”

She told fans at a soundcheck earlier on Monday that she did not include “Ghostin” and “Imagine,” which are believed to be about her relationship with Miller, in her setlist because they are “too heavy.”

Credit: Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Ariana Grande

The Stage

The entertainer performed on an innovative, galactic-inspired stage that featured a massive moon-shaped sphere in the center. Several concertgoers flocked to Twitter to praise the show’s colorful visual aspects.