Grande, others perform benefit concert for Manchester victims
MANCHESTER, England (AP) – Ariana Grande returned to the city to pay tribute with an energetic, allstar concert featuring Justin Bieber, Katy Perry and Liam Gallagher two weeks after a suicide bombing killed 22 of her fans and injured dozens of others in Manchester, England.
Grande was emotional and tearyeyed throughout the One Love Manchester concert Sunday, which the British Red Cross said it raised more than $13 million for the We Love Manchester Emergency Fund, created for those affected by the attack at Grande’s May 22 show.
She closed the three-hour-plus event with a cover of “Over the Rainbow,” crying onstage at the song’s end as the audience cheered her on.
“Manchester, I love you with all of my heart,” Grande said before the performance, and just after singing “One Last Time” with Miley Cyrus, Pharrell and more of the show’s performers standing behind her in solidarity.
Gallagher, formerly of Oasis, earned loud cheers from the audience as he emerged in his home town in surprise form. He sang and offered encouraging words to the crowd, who held inspirational signs in their hands.
One of the most powerful moments was when the Parrs Wood High School Choir performed Grande’s “My Everything” with the singer. The 23-year-old pop star held the young lead performer’s hand, both with tears in their eyes, as the rest of the singers joined in.
Perry also left a mark with her resilient performance: She sang a stripped down version of her hit, “Part of Me.” Backed by two singers and a guitarist, she delivered the song wearing all white, singing, “Throw your sticks and your stones, throw your bombs and your blows, but you’re not gonna break my soul.”
“I encourage you to choose love even when it’s difficult. Let no one take that away from you,” she said.
Bieber shared similar words onstage, even coming close to crying when he spoke about God and those who died at Grande’s show.
“(God) loves you and he’s here for you. I wanna take this moment to honor the people that were lost, that were taken,” he said. “To the families, we love you so much. ... Everybody say, ‘We honor you, and we love you.”’
Coldplay were also a crowd favorite, performing well-known songs like “Viva La Vida” and “Fix You.”