Ariana pens hugely emotional letter to Manchester victims
Ariana Grande is releasing a new docu-series, Dangerous Woman Diaries, in which she opens up about her emotions surrounding the "horrendous" terrorist bombing at her concert in Manchester last year.
Grande has spoken before about how the event has forever changed her, and she has now penned a letter expressing her devastation one year on from the heart-breaking tragedy.
The global pop sensation had only just finished her set at the Manchester Arena in May of 2017 when a bomb was detonated in the foyer, killing 22 people as they were leaving the concert and injuring another 500.
She has chosen to share a highly personal letter to her fans, and the series has already released four episodes, the final one depicting her pain and sorrow after the incident.
"I'm writing to you this February 22, 2018," she writes. "It's been eight months since the attack at our show at the Manchester Arena. It's impossible to know where to start or to know what to say about this part."
"May 22, 2017, will leave me speechless and filled with questions for the rest of my life."
"Music is an escape," she continued. "Music is the safest thing I've ever known. Music—pop music, stan culture—is something that brings people together, introduces them to some of their best friends, and makes them feel like they can be themselves."
"It is comfort. It is fun. It is expression. It is happiness. It is the last thing that would ever harm someone. It is safe."
"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 in a way that seems impossible to fully recover from."
Though Grande was thankfully unharmed physically in the attack, she has described her symptoms of PTSD following the bombing.
She boarded a private plan to Florida, so she could be with her grandmother, before co-organising the One Love Manchester concert for victims and their families, where herself and then-boyfriend Mac Miller performed.
Her fans will now get a behind -the-scenes look at the concert, with footage of Ari singing Somewhere Over the Rainbow to be aired.
Her letter went on to preach about the power of not letting hate win in times like these:
"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. 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. But instead, love as loudly as possible, and to appreciate every moment."
"The people of Manchester were able to change an event that portrayed the worst of humanity into one that portrayed the most beautiful of humanity."
"'Like a hand print on my heart,' she quoted, using her favourite musical Wicked as inspiration;
"I think of Manchester constantly and will carry this with me every day for the rest of my life."
