Ariana Grande found a quiet but powerful way to honor Dolly Parton before taking the stage in London.

During her Eternal Sunshine Tour stop at London’s O2 arena, Grande and her team arranged for concertgoers to watch a video of Parton performing her beloved classic “I Will Always Love You.” The tribute played before Grande’s concert began, giving thousands of fans a moment to remember the country music icon following her death at age 80 on August 25, 2026.

Rather than making the tribute part of her own set, Grande placed it at the very beginning of the evening, allowing Parton’s voice and music to take center stage before the pop star appeared.

Dolly Parton’s Voice Opens Ariana Grande’s London Show

Fans inside the O2 were shown the memorial video before Grande came onto the stage.

The footage featured Parton singing “I Will Always Love You,” one of the most enduring songs of her career. Once the video ended and the venue’s opening sequence concluded, Grande appeared and began her own performance.

The simple gesture gave the audience an opportunity to pause and reflect on Parton’s legacy before the concert moved forward.

Grande’s tribute came as musicians and performers across the entertainment industry continued to pay their respects to Parton in the aftermath of her death.

“I Will Always Love You” Carries a Remarkable Legacy

Parton originally wrote and recorded “I Will Always Love You” in 1974.

The song would later reach an entirely different level of global recognition when Whitney Houston recorded her version for the 1992 film The Bodyguard.

Houston’s rendition became one of the most famous recordings in popular music, while Parton’s original songwriting remained at the heart of the song’s history.

That connection has made “I Will Always Love You” an especially meaningful choice for artists paying tribute to Parton after her death.

For Grande’s London audience, hearing Parton perform the song herself offered a direct connection to the woman who wrote it.

Grande’s Tribute Comes During Her London Tour Run

The memorial video was shown as Grande continued her Eternal Sunshine Tour, which includes her current run of performances at London’s O2.

The tour marks Grande’s first major trek since 2019 and has been a significant return to the stage for the pop superstar.

Grande is scheduled to conclude the tour on September 1, after which she plans to step away from public-facing work for a period of time.

Earlier this month, a statement explained that Grande would take a break from visibility once the tour was completed, describing the decision as an opportunity for her to step back from the ongoing public scrutiny surrounding her career and personal life.

The statement also said Grande looked forward to finishing the tour on a positive note and emphasized how much she has enjoyed performing for her fans.

A Simple Tribute to a Music Legend

 

Grande’s decision to honor Parton before the concert rather than incorporating her music into the main performance made the gesture feel distinctly commemorative.

For a few moments, the O2 audience was invited to listen to Parton herself.

The choice of “I Will Always Love You” also highlighted one of the clearest examples of Parton’s influence reaching far beyond country music. The song has traveled across generations and genres, becoming a defining part of both Parton’s songwriting legacy and Houston’s musical history.

As tributes continue to emerge from artists around the world, Grande’s London concert added another heartfelt acknowledgment of what Parton meant to music.

Before the lights came up and the Eternal Sunshine Tour continued, thousands of fans were given a moment to remember Dolly Parton through the voice and song that made her unforgettable.