'Oh my god': Ariana stumbles, cries during Ellen Show performance

Ariana Grande has channelled '90s cult classic First Wives Club for the first performance of her headline-making new single, Thank U, Next.

The singer has been in and out of high-profile relationships over the past few years — most recently a very public, very brief engagement to SNL comedian Pete Davidson — and openly references her love troubles in the song, referencing several of her famous exes by name.

It was only fitting, then, that she channelled the 1996 film about women recovering from breakups for the song's first televised performance, on The Ellen Show.

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first wives club 2018 ...... @theellenshow tomorrow 🖤 i love you @victoriamonet @taylaparx ... thank u, next

A post shared by Ariana Grande (@arianagrande) on Nov 6, 2018 at 6:08pm PST

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thank u, next 🖤 tomorrow @theellenshow @victoriamonet @taylaparx

A post shared by Ariana Grande (@arianagrande) on Nov 6, 2018 at 7:23pm PST

Grande — who had posted on her Instagram Stories earlier this week that she was watching the film — took inspiration from the final, iconic scene, which sees stars Diane Keaton, Bette Midler and Goldie Hawn, resplendent in white suits, belting out Lesley Gore's anthem to self-empowerment, You Don't Own Me.

Flanked by two back-up singers, Grande perfectly replicated the look — but her homage nearly went pear-shaped a minute into the performance when she almost took a nasty tumble in her heeled boots while dismounting a chair.

The near-stack clearly rattled Grande, who screamed "Oh my god!" mid-line, giggling as she recovered (1 minute 17 seconds into the video below):

Grande appeared to have tears in her eyes elsewhere during the performance of what may well be her most personal song to date.