All Ariana Grande Fortnite easter eggs & secrets from Rift Tour concert

The Rift Tour was arguably the biggest event Fortnite has ever pulled off, and there were plenty of references to both Ariana Grande’s career and Fortnite lore hidden away in there.

After months of teasing, pop superstar Ariana Grande finally made her debut in the Fortnite metaverse on Friday, August 6, when she followed in the footsteps of Travis Scott and Marshmello by performing a virtual concert for gamers around the world.

As the music icon performed hits like 7 Rings and Positions, players were taken through a variety of worlds and experiences that referenced not only key moments from Ariana’s career and life, but also memorable events in Fortnite history.

There was a lot going on in this live Fortnite event, so we’ve recapped all of the easter eggs, references, and hints at the future that you might have missed during Ariana Grande’s concert below.

Breathin’ music video: The swing scene

As Fortnite players floated through the clouds on flying unicorns, riding through as many rainbow rings as they could, Ariana Grande appeared in the distance singing R.E.M. – an album track from her Sweetener album.

She was also sweeping backwards and forwards on a swing suspended in the sky, a scene that will look familiar to dedicated Arianators as she also did this in her music video for fan-favorite track, Breathin’.

Sweetener World Tour: The Relativity stairs

In a later Rift Tour scene, Ariana Grande ascended a set of stairs into the sky while performing The Way, a track from her debut album Yours Truly. Fortnite players followed her through various doors while walking along the walls.

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While it was a clear reference to the painting Relativity by Dutch artist M. C. Escher, it’s also a throwback to Ariana’s Sweetener Tour and her Tonight Show performance, where she appeared in front of a Relativity-inspired set.

A tribute to Mac Miller

Fans were unsure if they would ever hear Ariana perform The Way again after the passing of Mac Miller, but choosing to include the song in her Fortnite concert was a lovely way to pay tribute to the late rapper.

Many viewers also saw Ariana Grande walking up the pearly-white stairs in the sky while performing the Mac Miller-featuring track as a reference to heaven or the afterlife.

God is a Woman music video: The hammer scene

As a giant Ariana Grande performed the final song of her Rift Tour set, Positons, among aurora borealis-inspired lighting, she picked up a giant hammer and slammed it into the ground, sending Fortnite players flying.

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It’s not the first time Ariana has wielded a hammer like this. In her God is a Woman music video, she launched a hammer straight through the ‘glass ceiling’ as God (voiced by Madonna) spurred her on.

A new costume for Drift?

This one is for the Fortnite lore fans. In a touching scene before Ariana Grande’s appearance that saw players help revive their fallen allies, the character that lifts you up is Drift, who’s got deep ties to Kevin the Cube.

We’ll get onto that big teaser in a minute, but some eagle-eyed fans noticed what appears to be a new outfit for Drift in the background, where he has black hair. Could this mean Drift will return in a future storyline? Or maybe as a new skin in the Item Shop?

Kevin the Cube is returning

Fans of Fortnite have predicted this one for a while now, but a brief moment at the start of the Rift Tour appeared to confirm that ‘Kevin the Cube’ will indeed be returning before Chapter 2 comes to a close.

You can just about see the iconic purple cube in the screenshot above. For those who don’t know, this strange object caused havoc across the Island in Season X, but it remains shrouded in mystery to this day.

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Out of all the Fortnite memories that appear during this opening scene, it appears this is the one the alien invaders are searching for. Even more interesting, the image depicts Kevin the Cube on the current Island.

If you missed Ariana Grande’s Fortnite concert, you can watch it below.

With the Rift Tour over and done with, many players will be looking ahead to the future. What implications does this event have for the rest of the Fortnite world?

Well, Epic Games lead Donald Mustard has teased that the aliens used the event to scan our brains and steal information to help their invasion. Aside from that, Superman is expected to make his Fortnite debut very soon.

Keep up to date with the latest news, guides, and leaks on our dedicated Fortnite page.