On May 22, 2017, the United Kingdom came to a standstill. In the Manchester Arena, a terrorist attack occurred that killed 22 people and injured over 1,000 in the deadliest terror attack in the UK since the 2005 London Bombings. The attack occurred during an Ariana Grande concert, which understandably had a significant impact on the singer-songwriter, as well as the countless lives affected by the tragedy. In response to the attack, One Love Manchester was created.
One Love Manchester was a benefit concert and TV special created by some of the biggest names in mainstream music, and Ariana Grande herself, in response to a horrific incident. An act of sheer violence and destruction was met with a concert supporting those affected, and a declaration for peace and love above all else. In an emotional moment, Ariana Grande and Miley Cyrus covered “Don’t Dream It’s Over” by Crowded House, which you can watch below:
Both Miley Cyrus and Ariana Grande are musical powerhouses in the mainstream circuit. Not only do they share musical success, but interestingly, they both also share a history of acting in children’s TV shows. In 2009, at age 16, Ariana Grande was cast as Cat Valentine in the Nickelodeon TV show Victorious; at just age 13, Miley Cyrus became a children’s TV hit as she was cast as the lead character of Hannah Montana, which quickly became a success.
Despite this clip’s popularity due to Miley and Ariana teaming up for a powerful collaboration, this is not the first time these singers have worked together. In 2019, “Don’t Call Me Angel” was released, which was a mashup featuring Miley Cyrus, Ariana Grande, and the atmospheric singer-songwriter Lana Del Rey. This song was a massive success, and its music video – which was a Charlie’s Angels-style shoot – amassed over 230 million views on YouTube. Check it out here:
While the performance Miley Cyrus and Ariana Grande delivered at One Love Manchester was touching, it was far from the only significant performance of the day. The event featured many of the UK’s biggest acts, alongside some American superstars who all came together to help raise proceeds for the We Love Manchester Emergency fund, which sought to assist victims and their families.
Some of the performances included Black Eyed Peas and Ariana Grande performing their classic hit “Where Is The Love?”, and the British pop group Take That performing some of their greatest hits. In total, the British Red Cross received over £10 million within 12 hours of the concert coming to an end, demonstrating that communities will always come together in moments of extreme tragedy.
There are few words to describe this particular attack, but thoughts and prayers are always with the families of anyone impacted by this tragedy. Love conquers all.