Last night a terror attack on the Manchester Arena claimed the lives of 22 people and left 120 concert-goers injured.
At 10:35pm on Monday 22 May, a lone terrorist detonated a suicide bomb as fans left the Manchester leg of Ariana Grande’s Dangerous Woman tour.
In the aftermath, fans have shared footage of the curtain call to social media:
The gig, which was populated by young fans of Ariana’s, closed with the song One Last Time.
Anushka Moore, who shared the footage commented on the tragedy, saying:
Took this video at the Ariana Grande concert at the Manchester Arena earlier tonight and it gives me chills every time I watch it. The voices singing along belong to children! The last time they will ever sing ‘One Last Time’. #devastated #chills #heartbroken
The video of revellers enjoying music – a medium intended to unify and bolster the human spirit – takes on a chilling poignancy as we mourn the loss of innocent victims.
Authorities state there have been 22 fatalities, including eight-year-old Saffie Rose Roussos, 18-year-old Georgina Callandar and John Atkinson, aged 26.
Ariana Grande shared a solemn tweet expressing her regret over the unspeakable attack:
Ariana Grande’s manager, Scooter Braun, also released a statement saying the Ariana Grande team felt ‘broken’.
He sent his thoughts and prayers to those affected, and thanked the brave emergency servicemen and women for their dedication and diligence.
According to TMZ, Grande is too ‘distraught’ to continue the European leg of her tour and will not be performing in London on Thursday.
While Grande is famed for her vocal range, she is loved by many for her forward-thinking attitude and her musical messages of love and acceptance. This attack is an attack on everything Ariana champions.
Our thoughts are with all those affected.
A former emo kid who talks too much about 8Chan meme culture, the Kardashian Klan, and how her smartphone is probably killing her. Francesca is a Cardiff University Journalism Masters grad who has done words for BBC, ELLE, The Debrief, DAZED, an art magazine you’ve never heard of and a feminist zine which never went to print.