Ariana Grande’s surprise tribute to Dolly Parton before her show
Before her concert in London, Ariana Grande surprised the audience by honoring Dolly Parton with a video of the legendary singer performing.
During the Eternal Sunshine Tour stop at the O2 Arena in London, Ariana Grande and her team dedicated the opening segment to paying tribute to Dolly Parton—the country music icon who recently passed away at the age of 80.
Just before Grande took the stage, the audience watched a video of Dolly Parton performing her classic hit, “I Will Always Love You.” This moment served as a tribute to the singer-songwriter, who had a profound impact on the history of American music.
Notably, Ariana Grande did not include the tribute performance in the official setlist. Instead, she and her team chose to play the video before the show officially began. Grande only appeared on stage after the video concluded and the opening segment ended.
Dolly Parton wrote and first recorded “I Will Always Love You” in 1974. The song later became a global phenomenon when Whitney Houston performed it for the 1992 film *The Bodyguard*.
Following Dolly Parton’s passing, many artists paid tribute to her, highlighting the songs that defined her unique legacy in the music world. Ariana Grande’s choice of “I Will Always Love You” for this moment made the London tribute even more meaningful.
Ariana Grande’s surprise tribute to Dolly Parton before her show (Photo 1)
The O2 concert was part of Ariana Grande’s *Eternal Sunshine Tour*—her first major tour since 2019. The tour is scheduled to conclude on September 1.
After completing the tour, Grande plans to take a break from public activities. In an announcement made in early August, her team stated that the singer wanted to take some time to rest after a long period of constant public attention and scrutiny. Grande also expressed her affection for her fans, noting that she cherished every moment of the tour.
Before the show, Ariana Grande unexpectedly did this to bid farewell to Dolly Parton.
