Katy Perry paid tribute to the victims of this week’s Manchester terror attack during her intimate London show tonight (May 25).
Monday night (May 22) saw 22 people killed and around 59 injured after an Ariana Grande concert at Manchester Arena, when a lone bomber caused an explosion in the foyer of the venue. In what has been condemned as an ‘evil atrocity’, many of those hurt and killed are said to be children and teenagers. The assailant, since named as 22-year-old Salman Ramadan Abedi, a Mancunian of Libyan descent, died on the scene.
Playing a live-streamed show at London’s tiny Water Rats venue, Perry tearfully told the crowd during the gig: “Music is so powerful. This week has been really hard. It sucked. It was hard for you guys, I know that, [and] it was hard for me because we all love music. We’re all listening to the same music. Think about it and it’s like, ‘That’s my friend, that’s my sister, that’s my brother, that’s my cousin, that’s the person who loves music’. It’s awful, it’s awful.”
She added: “Whatever you can do to help, you should. If you can’t do anything, that’s fine. But what you should do is not let them win. They can never take that part away from us, ever, ever”.
Perry proceeded to lead a moment of silence before playing her new song. Watch in the video below.
"If you can't do anything to help that's fine, but what you should do, is not let them win." Beautifully said, @KatyPerry ? #WeStandTogether pic.twitter.com/XWaKF4dhxB
— Capital (@CapitalOfficial) May 25, 2017
Following the attack in Manchester, over half a million pound has been raised for the victims and their families.
An emergency hotline has been set up for anyone concerned about loved ones in the area or at the Manchester Arena show. Please call 0161 856 9400. Anyone with any information is asked to call the Anti-Terrorist Hotline in confidence on 0800 789321.