Ariana Grande Posts Emotional Message Honoring Victims of 2017 Manchester Concert

Celebs

| LAST UPDATE 05/23/2021

By Chloe Becker
Ariana Grande Manchester Concert
Getty Images / Handout via Getty Images

Ariana Grande took to social media to share some love and thoughts on grief. The emotional message was a tribute to the victims of the tragic bombing at her 2017 Manchester concert. Here are all of the details.

Ariana Grande Manchester Attack
Instagram via @arianagrande

Saturday, May 22 marked four years since the attack, and Ari made sure her fans knew they weren't mourning alone. "Although grief is ever-present and our relationship to it is evolving and expressing itself in different ways every day year round, I know that this anniversary will never be an easy one," Grande wrote alongside a video clip of a shining sun with music playing in the background. She continued, "Please know that I am thinking of u all today. Manchester, you're in my heart always."

Ariana took to her Insta Story with a similar message, where she listed the names of the 22 victims of the attack, which at the time also left more than 500 people injured. The singer's touching words were followed by a few throwback images from the 2017 benefit concert. Yup, we're talking about that time Ari understandably suspended her tour after the bombing and then returned to Manchester less than two weeks later to honor the victims.

One Love Manchester Concert
Getty Images / Handout via Getty Images

The thank u, next performer was joined by Pharrell Williams, Miley Cyrus, Justin Bieber, Niall Horan, Robbie Williams, the Black Eyed Peas, and Katy Perry, to name a few. The benefit concert, called One Love Manchester, was aired on British television and raised a whopping $13 million for those affected by the attack.

"The spirit of the people of Manchester, the families affected by this horrendous tragedy, and my fans around the world have permanently impacted all of us for the rest of our lives," the pop icon wrote in an emotional letter back in 2018. "Their love, strength, and unity showed me, my team, my dancers, band, and entire crew not to be defeated. To continue during the scariest and saddest of times. To not let hate win."

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Ariana Grande Manchester Anniversary
Instagram via @arianagrande

After the attack, Ari put her pain into lyrics and wrote Sweetener's first single, No Tears Left to Cry. "Music is an escape. Music is the safest thing I've ever known. Music - pop music, stan culture - is something that brings people together," Grande said following the album's release. "When something so opposite and so poisonous takes place in your world that is supposed to be everything but that... it is shocking and heartbreaking."