Ariana Grande is remembering the people of Manchester, England today, one year after the bombing outside her Manchester Arena concert on May 22, 2017 that killed 22 people. “Thinking of you all today and every day,” Grande wrote on Twitter, adding an emoji of a bee, the Manchester symbol. “I love you with all of me and am sending you all of the light and warmth I have to offer on this challenging day.”
thinking of you all today and every day 🐝 I love you with all of me and am sending you all of the light and warmth I have to offer on this challenging day
— Ariana Grande (@ArianaGrande) May 22, 2018
Prime Minister Teresa May and Prince William will be among attendees at a special memorial service at Manchester Cathedral today, when the country will observe a minute of silence, according to the BBC. The final half-hour of the memorial, a singalong broadcast on local radio, will include pop hits like Grande’s “One Last Time,” Elbow’s “One Day Like This,” Oasis‘s “Don’t Look Back in Anger,” and Take That’s “Never Forget.” Throughout this week, song lyrics chosen by the community will be projected on buildings at St. Ann’s Square, a tribute the city titled “There Is a Light” in reference to the Smiths.
In the wake of last year’s tragedy, Grande helped organize the One Love Manchester benefit concert, which featured performances by herself, Justin Bieber, Katy Perry, Niall Horan, Miley Cyrus, Coldplay, Liam Gallagher, Take That, and others to raise money for victims and their families. In recognition of her efforts, the Manchester city council voted her the city’s first honorary citizen last July.
Manchester Arena eventually reopened in September with a concert by Noel Gallagher and other Mancunian artists. Following several months out of the public eye, Grande recently reemerged to announce her upcoming studio album Sweetener, which is likely due in July.
