Ariana Grande is honoring the lives lost during the Manchester Arena bombing.
The “Positions” singer took to Instagram Story on Saturday to send a heartfelt message to the victims and the people who were affected by the tragedy, which occurred four years ago.
“Although grief is ever-present and our relationship to it is constantly evolving and expressing itself in different ways every day, year round,” Grande wrote. “I know that this anniversary will never be an easy one. Please know that I am thinking of you today.”
“Manchester, my heart is with you today and always,” she added, before listing the names of the people who died. “John Atkinson, Courtney Boyle, Philip Tron, Kelly Brewster, Georgina Callander, Olivia Campbell-Hardy, Liam Curry, Chloe Rutherford, Wendy Fawell, Martyn Hett, Alison Howe, Lisa Lees, Megan Hurley, Nell ones, Michelle Kiss, Angelika Klis, Marcin Klis, Morrell Leczkowski, Eilidh MacLeod, Elaine McIver, Saffie Rose Rouses and Jane Tweddle.”
On May 22, 2017, a bomber detonated a device just outside Manchester Arena, killing 22 and injuring another 139.
In the days following the Manchester attack, Grande told her manager, Scooter Braun, “I can never sing these songs again. I can’t put on these outfits. Don’t put me in this position,” she shared in the Next Generation Leaders issue of Time.
However, two days later, Grande decided that she had to do something and organized the One Love Manchester concert. The event, which took place one month later, featured stars like Miley Cyrus, Justin Bieber, Coldplay and Katy Perry. Through the Red Cross, the event raised millions of dollars for the victims and their families.
The singer returned to Manchester for the first time in two years in August 2019 to perform at the Manchester Pride event at Mayfield Depot.
“There are so many people who have suffered such loss and pain. The processing part is going to take forever,” Grande told Time in 2018. “It’s the absolute worst of humanity. That’s why I did my best to react the way I did. The last thing I would ever want is for my fans to see something like that happen and think it won.”
“Music is supposed to be the safest thing in the world. I think that’s why it’s still so heavy on my heart every single day. I wish there was more that I could fix,” she expressed. “You think with time it’ll become easier to talk about. Or you’ll make peace with it. But every day I wait for that peace to come and it’s still very painful.”
