Manchester Arena terror attack: Who is Ariana Grande?

Who is Ariana Grande?

Ariana Grande is an American pop star who began her musical career with the ‘Broadway Musical 13′. Pop and R&B (rhythm and blues) are the genres occupied by the singer although there are perceptible elements of funk, dance and hip hop in her music.

Pop stars Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey have a strong influence on Grande, as evident from the public comments that Grande has made repeatedly. The singer who was raised as a Roman Catholic in her childhood has an image of being “age appropriate” and is considered comparatively modest in her looks.

The pop star renounced her faith citing opposition to Church’s stand on homosexuality. A few of her songs such as “Break Your Heart Right Back” are considered to be supportive of LGBT rights.

Ariana Grande is currently on a world tour named “Dangerous Woman”, playing music concerts in European cities at present.  Grande’s ‘Dangerous Woman Tour’ began in Phoenix in February. Following the Manchester gig, she was to perform at venues in Europe, including Belgium, Poland, Germany, Switzerland and France, and following that, concerts in Latin America and Asia.

“broken. from the bottom of my heart, i am so so sorry. i don’t have words,” tweeted pop star Ariana Grande, hours after her concert was hit by a suspected terrorist attack.

The world woke up to this terrible news, and visuals of children running and screaming in panic, and grief-stricken parents looking for their teenagers, many probably attending the first concert of their lives.

The 23-year-old Grammy nominated artiste, known for her Mariah Carey-like vocal range, is a teen icon, although that that well know in India. Apart from her songs such as `The Way’, `Break free’ and `Bang bang’, Grande is also a style icon, whose signature pony tail is often aped by teenagers and dress sense oozes a very youthful sensuality. With contemporaries such as pop stars Taylor Swift and Selena Gomez, Grande’s social media following is also massive — she is one of the top-most followed people on Instagram in the world.

Her greatest fan following is among young girls. So a sold-out Grande concert means it will be populated by girls and their parents, and this vicious attack on them can be seen as one that aims to instill fear in the minds of the young. It’s going to be an uphill task for parents and teachers across the world now to explain to kids how fear works, how trauma can be overcome.

(With inputs by Somya Lakhani)