GRANDE TO HOST STAR STUDDED BENEFIT SHOW

Coldplay, Katy Perry, Miley Cyrus, Justin Bieber to play for Grande’s Manchester Benefit Concert

Singer Ariana Grande (left) will hold a starstudded benefit concert in Manchester on Sunday to pay homage to the victims of the May 22 suicide bombing in the city. A footfall of around 50,000 is expected at the event. Grande’s One Love concert, which was announced on Tuesday, will take place at the Emirates Old Trafford near Manchester, reports variety.com. She will be joined by top-billed artists like Miley Cyrus, Katy Perry, Justin Bieber, Pharrell Williams, and Usher. Coldplay is also set to perform for the night, along with fellow British acts Take That and Niall Horan.

The event will raise money for the We Love Manchester Emergency Fund set up to support the victims of the tragedy. All of the artists set to perform on Sunday will be donating their time for free, and even looking after their own travel and accomodation.

Melvin Benn of Festival Republic, part of the core group of organisers, credits Grande for her bravery. “It just came out of the blue for me. I didn’t anticipate Ariana wanting to step forward and play a concert so soon after the tragedy that happened. For such a young woman to have the bravery to stand up and do that, I think every actor should take notice,” Benn said.

Security is foremost on the organisers’ minds. Benn said, “Almost the first conversation I had in Manchester was with Chief Constable Ian Hopkins of Greater Manchester Police, to get an assessment of whether this is a completely bonkers idea, in view of the circumstances.” English actor Tom Hardy, and rapper Eminem have also raised funds for the victims.