Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for AGAriana Grade took the stage for a special performance at the Manchester Pride Festival on Sunday in Manchester, England.
It was her first time performing in the U.K. city since she organized the One Love Manchester benefit concert in June 2017. That benefit followwed the deadly terror attack outside her Manchester Arena concert less than a month prior, in which 22 people were killed.
“Manchester holds a very special place in my heart,” Ariana told the crowd, adding, “I’m so happy to be with you, so thank you for having me. Sorry, I’m so nervous. I had so much more to say but I’m really very overwhelmed. So thank you.”
According to the BBC, fans from that Arena show returned to see Ariana at Pride and it was an emotional moment. She began her nine-song set with “No Tears Left to Cry,” the first song she released after the bombing. At the end of that song’s video, you can see a small bee, which is the symbol of Manchester.
“I don’t know that there was one person who didn’t have tears in their eyes,” one fan, 20-year-old Mason Thomas, told the BBC. “It means so much to the city and it means so much to the world to show what she did tonight and show that hate doesn’t win.”
During her set, Ariana also spoke to the crowd about her longtime connection to the LGBTQ community.
“The gays have always had my heart, personally,” she said. “I spent some of the happiest times of my teenage years singing in gay bars in New York City.”
Back in February, Ariana hinted she was working on further plans for Manchester, but those have yet to be revealed.
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