Filled to the brim with adoring fans, the excitement in John Paul Jones Arena was practically electric as any movement on stage caused the audience to scream in anticipation for Ariana Grande’s entrance, from the rising platform in the ground.

Over the past eight months, Grande has performed her Sweetener World Tour  in both Europe and North America. She began the winter leg of her second North American tour in New York, making her way to Charlottesville, Virginia, last month and plans to conclude the tour in California near the end of December.

Bands such as ‘Social House’, an upbeat pop duo, took the stage pre-Grande with songs like “Magic in the Hamptons” in effort to warm up the crowd. The upbeat style had Grande’s fans on their feet, dancing in anticipation for her opening number.

As the lights dimmed, Grande’s voice reverberated throughout the stadium a cappella, beginning her performance much like she did on her ‘Sweetener’ album with the song ¨Raindrops¨.  Grande’s voice was clearly the main event, showcasing her wide vocal range, which is evident in the first few notes. Throughout the show, the choreography and sets supplemented the music, but did not overshadow it; a beautiful balance that is unique to Grande’s shows. 

Initially she focused on both her “Sweetener” and “Thank You, Next” albums with nods to her previous hits like “Be Alright”, “Love Me Harder”, and “Right There”. However, during her performance in Charlottesville, she surprised her fans with an unexpected combination of songs from her “Christmas and Chill” and “Christmas Kisses” albums for the holidays. These late additions to her set were well received by the crowd and effortlessly flowed into her other more current and popular songs. 

Grande ended her two hour performance with the feel-good chart topper “Thank You, Next”, in the same Mean Girls movie inspired Santa costumes from her music video. As the final song came to an end, confetti fell from the ceiling, making the picturesque experience even more special for fans.

And, even after she left the stage, some super fans could be seen scooping up pieces of confetti with the “Thank you, Next” decorations on them to commemorate the night.