Ariana Grande Suspends Tour After Manchester Attack
Ariana Grande suspended her international Dangerous Woman Tour following a terrorist attack outside her concert in Manchester, England Monday, CNN reports. A 22-year-old British suicide bomber detonated a homemade explosive, killing 22 people and injuring 59 more. Grande was scheduled to tour Europe in support of her 2016 album Dangerous Woman through mid-June, while a South American leg was set to begin June 29th in Brazil. It’s unclear if or when Grande will make up the concerts.
Hours after the attack, Grande posted a short message on Twitter: “Broken. From the bottom of my heart, I am so so sorry. I don’t have words.” Immediately after the attack, Grande returned to her home in Florida, Us Weekly reports.
The Manchester Arena bomber was identified as Salman Abedi, a 22-year-old British man of Libyan descent. British Prime Minister Theresa May said Abedi chose the time and place to inflict “maximum carnage” on young fans. Police have also arrested a 23-year-old man in connection with the attack. Islamic State claimed responsibility. However, Chief Constable Ian Hopkins of the Greater Manchester Police said, “The priority remains to establish whether [Abedi] was acting alone or as part of a network.”
The attack has evoked an outpouring of sorrow and support from musicians and entertainers. Late Late Show host James Corden opened his show Monday with a moving tribute to the victims, while Katy Perry discussed the attack during a radio interview. “I think the greatest thing we can do now is unite as people, as fan bases, all of it,” Perry said. “Whatever we say behind people’s backs, the Internet can be a little bit ruthless as far as fan bases go but I think that the greatest thing we can do is just unite and love on each other. No barriers, no borders, we all just need to co-exist.” Others to speak out include Harry Styles, Drake, Taylor Swift, Rihanna and Missy Elliot, as well as Manchester natives and local music scene stalwarts such as Morrissey, Liam Gallagher, Johnny Marr and Peter Hook.