Ariana Grande is preparing to return to the stage, but this time, she’s choosing a lighter schedule.
In a new conversation with Nicole Kidman for Interview magazine, published Nov. 24, the singer and actress opened up about her plans for the 2026 Eternal Sunshine world tour, sharing that the upcoming run will be far smaller than her past tours.
Grande explained that she plans to keep the number of shows limited, saying, “We’re doing a small amount compared to what I used to do back in the day. I think it’s 45 shows.”
She added that while it’s still a sizable tour, it’s “at least half” of what she once took on.
Even with fewer dates, she said the experience already feels special.
Grande shared that she is “excited” for the tour and mentioned that the scaled-back approach comes from a place of healing.
Over the past few years, she has been working on improving her relationship with both music and touring.
She noted that she has spent “a lot of time redoing” her “system when it comes to making music,” and described Eternal Sunshine as a turning point in that process.
“With Eternal Sunshine, that felt like a very different experience for me,” she said, explaining that stepping away helped her sort out which feelings were tied to her love of music and which were connected to the pressures of fame.
According to Grande, separating those two things allowed her to reconnect with her craft in a healthier, more meaningful way.
Her time playing Glinda in Wicked and Wicked: For Good also played a role in reshaping her mindset.
She said acting helped her rebuild confidence and gently move past “traumas” she associated with her pop career.
Taking “baby steps” toward that healing, she shared, has led to a sense of peace she hadn’t felt before.
Grande also looked back on her early years in the spotlight, calling her rise to fame an overwhelming shift that she wasn’t fully prepared for.
She explained that the transition came with challenges and that adjusting to such a sudden change in her life wasn’t easy, even though she remains deeply grateful for her career.
With her upcoming tour, Grande appears ready to return to the stage on her own terms, with a clearer head, a calmer heart, and a schedule designed to support her well-being.