K-Pop stars BLACKPINK and Ariana Grande pay tribute to Manchester Arena victims, two years on

Pop stars BLACKPINK and Ariana Grande paid tribute to the victims of the Manchester Arena bombing from the venue’s stage, two years on.

Dedicating the hit ‘Stay’ to the victims and their families, South Korean pop band BLACKPINK said their “hearts ache for those who lost their loved ones”.

Twenty-two people died and hundreds were injured in the 2017 suicide bombing as Ariana Grande finished performing on the same stage.

On Twitter, #OneLoveManchester and #ManchesterRemembers were trending. Ariana Grande posted a bee emoji in her Instagram stories, with no words. Her mother Joan Grande said Manchester is “with me always, in my heart and in my mind” for those who lost their loved ones”

According to BBC, an invitation-only memorial service was held at St Ann’s Church for families and emergency services. Photographs of each of the 22 victims were shown, while music was played by members of Chetham’s School of Music.

A minute’s silence was held halfway through the service which was also observed by hundreds of people in St Ann’s Square and others across the city. Representatives of the Hindu, Muslim, Sikh and Methodist faiths also led prayers of intercession, saying: “We are all one.”

Last year, a larger service was held at Manchester Cathedral, attended by Prince William and Prime Minister Theresa May, with crowds gathered outside to watch on large screens. A Manchester City Council spokesman said this year’s anniversary would be marked with a “more intimate” commemoration.

As reported by The Sauce, after the bombing the ‘We Love Manchester Emergency Fund’ raised more than £5.57m and become a charity to ensure that funds can be distributed effectively to those injured and bereaved by the bombing at Manchester Arena. Ariana was back in Manchester a week after to headlined a benefit show for 50,000 fans at Old Trafford cricket ground, just two miles away from the arena.

Suicide bomber Salman Abedi, 22, detonated a device at the end of an Ariana Grande concert on the 22nd of May 2017 at the arena as children and adults began leaving the venue.