We cannot believe that it has been over a year since the Manchester bombing on May 22, 2017. Pop singer, Ariana Grande, had just finished her usual stage performance when the suicide bomber killed 22 people and injured 500 more in the audience.
No one could soak in the reality of this rapid tragedy, least of all the victims and their families. The young singer, who had witnessed it all unfold from the stage, had never experienced anything like this before.
Now, a year later, she is still deeply affected by the horrific experience. During a recent interview with Elle, Ariana opened up about the aftermath of the terrorist attack, explaining how it flipped her world upside down.
She said, “When I got home from tour, I had really wild dizzy spells, this feeling like I couldn’t breathe. I would be in a good mood, fine and happy, and they would hit me out of nowhere.”
Although she felt deeply shaken, the pop star showed incredible strength in the wake of the Manchester bombing, supporting the victims in the same way her fans have always supported her.
When asked if she contemplated giving up her singing career, she responded after careful consideration, “Why would I second-guess getting on a f****** stage and being there for them? That city, and their response? That changed my life.”
Ariana told her mother that her first returning concert would be back on the same stage in Manchester, proving love conquered hate to all her dedicated fans. It is through this fiery determination that she, along with other performers, was able to raise $23 million for the We Love Manchester Emergency Fund.
She explained that her entire way of thinking has been transformed. “I’m also going to be a human being who cares about other human beings; to be an ally and use my privilege to help educate people.”
We stand alongside her in remembering the victims of the Manchester attack, as well as other recent acts of terrorism. Like her devoted fans, we admire her strength and hope it sparks a movement that shows that love is stronger than any amount of hate that tries to destroy goodness in this world.
