If my articles have been slow today, it’s because I’ve been riveted by the #OneLoveManchester concert. It was stunning. Never in my life the past five months has my Twitter feed been filled with so much love, support, and multicolored heart emojis (and I follow some bitter people on Twitter, myself included.)
Ariana Grande stood strong in the face of incredible violence and fear. She sang with a high school choir (and 12-year-old soloist.) She collapsed into sobs more than once. Fans in the Manchester arena sang along to every word, to every song. More performers teared up than didn’t. Artists spoke about conquering fears, seeing the good in the world, and resilience in the face of terror. The concert closed out with Katy Perry and Niall Horan linking arms, with performers hugging one another, with concert-goers hugging one another.
The benefit concert felt so much more authentic, necessary even, than others have in the past. It was an uplifting and glowing reminder that it’s possible to stay hopeful, and that, to quote so many protest signs over the years, if we believe love always wins, maybe it will be so.
https://twitter.com/NickJonasUPD/status/871475925661212672
https://twitter.com/FreddyAmazin/status/871466778185973760
Girls are brave. Women are brave. pic.twitter.com/AVkAKXUPl4
— Alana Massey (@AlanaMassey) June 4, 2017
JUST IN: The @BritishRedCross has raised over $9,000,000.00 through #OneLoveManchester benefit concert: https://t.co/9tePIKVg39 pic.twitter.com/ubyNjQ6Gf9
— Good Morning America (@GMA) June 4, 2017
The policemen at #OneLoveManchester have their dancing shoes on pic.twitter.com/OkTqMB7nEr
— Eleanor Barlow (@EleanorBarlow) June 4, 2017
Dancing w my BB girl @ArianaGrande !!! ❤️🐰❤️🐰❤️🐰❤️🐰❤️🐰❤️🐰 #ONELOVEMANCHESTER pic.twitter.com/cqSx7y3hVR
— Miley Ray Cyrus (@MileyCyrus) June 4, 2017
https://twitter.com/sparkrauhl/status/871474207309402112
Weeping. Wonderful to see such courage and love in such a corrupt world. Thank you for the beautiful music @arianagrande #OneLoveManchester
— Colleen Ballinger🎗 (@ColleenB123) June 4, 2017
"We can't let it deter us" – a fan queueing for #OneLoveManchester concert after #LondonAttacks https://t.co/16XgyBZK0c pic.twitter.com/ERIa29CN30
— BBC News (UK) (@BBCNews) June 4, 2017
https://twitter.com/Torchels/status/871477268132114432
Niall singing and dancing during One Last Time #WeStandWithManchester #OneLoveManchester
— best niall pics (@NiallsGaIlery) June 4, 2017
